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Honor Code

The students and faculty of Gonzaga University School of Law, recognizing that the legal profession is self-governing, have established this Code of Student Conduct to ensure that the highest ethical and professional standards are maintained by every student. The fundamental purposes of the Code of Student conduct are to promote integrity and to instill a spirit of professionalism and trust among students.

PART I - SUBSTANCE
1. Compliance with University Policies

Students at Gonzaga University School of Law must comply with all academic and conduct policies of the University. These include:

  • Academic Honesty Policy
  • Alcohol Policy & Regulations
  • Drug Policy
  • Policy on Misconduct in Research and Scholarship
  • Policy for Students Manifesting Serious Psychological Problems
  • Sexual and Racial Harassment Policy
  • Smoking Policy
  • University Student Conduct Code

Each of these policies is either printed in the Law Student Handbook or available at the office of the Dean of Student Life, on main campus. Moreover, the University reserves the right to amend these policies and to establish additional policies at any time. Students must comply with such amendments and new policies. To the extent any of these policies contain their own enforcement rules, such rules shall preempt Part II of this Code.

2. Standards Regarding Course Assignments and Examinations

Course assignments and examinations shall be the product of a student’s own work and knowledge, without recourse to any materials, sources, or procedures unauthorized by the instructor, and without communication with any other individual unless authorized by the instructor. Students with any question or uncertainty about what is authorized have an obligation to obtain a clarification from the instructor. Unless otherwise specified, it is a violation of this Code to do any of the following:

  1. Violate any rule established by the instructor for a course assignment or examination.
  2. Continue to write after time for an examination has expired.
  3. Use or leave openly accessible unauthorized materials in any course assignment or during an examination.
  4. Give information concerning a course assignment or examination to someone who has not completed that assignment or examination.
  5. Receive information concerning a course assignment or examination before completing that assignment or examination.
  6. Talk during an examination.
3. Use of Library Resources

Students have a responsibility to share the limited materials and resources of the library, and it is a violation of this Code to do anything that would unfairly infringe upon another student’s access to library materials and resources. For this purpose, library materials and resources includes books, video tapes and equipment, and computer equipment, services, and systems. Unfairly infringing upon access to library materials or resources includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  1. Concealing any library materials or resources.
  2. Purposefully or recklessly destroying or damaging any library materials or resources.
  3. Keeping any library material or resources beyond the due date for the purpose of preventing or limiting another’s access to it.
  4. Removing any library material or resources from the library without authorization.
4. Honesty

It is a violation of this Code to lie about any matter associated with the University.

5. Professional Activities

Students engaged in the limited or supervised practice of law through the Law Clinic, an externship, or otherwise must comply with the rules of professional conduct in effect in that jurisdiction. Failure to do so is a violation of this Code.

6. Privacy

Students must respect each other’s privacy and the privacy of school officials. It is a violation of this Code to access another person’s e-mail without permission, to read or remove the contents of another person’s mailbox, or to act in any other way for the purpose of violating another person’s privacy.

7. Criminal Conduct

It is a violation of this Code to engage in any criminal conduct other than a misdemeanor.

8. Obligation to Report Violations

A student who witnesses or know of any violations of sections 1 through 7 of this Code shall report that violation to a proper authority (see Part II, sections 3 & 4). Failure to do so is a violation of this Code.

9. Plagiarism 

It is a violation of this Code to plagiarize, or in any way attribute another's work as one's own in any matter associated with the University.

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