Virginia Commonwealth University recognizes that honesty, truth, and integrity are values central to its mission as an institution of higher education. The Honor System is built on the idea that a person's honor is his/her most cherished attribute. A foundation of honor is essential to a community devoted to learning. Within this community, respect and harmony must coexist. The Honor System is the policy of VCU that defines the highest standards of conduct in academic affairs.
The Honor System states that faculty members are responsible for:
The VCU Honor System in its entirety can be reviewed on the Web or it can be found in the 2009-10 VCU Insider.
The Honor System must be upheld and enforced by each member of the Virginia Commonwealth University community. The fundamental attributes of our community are honor and integrity. We are privileged to operate with this Honor System.
VCU faculty play a critical role in helping to build an environment that is conducive to the academic success of our students. As you know, VCU has policies and procedures designed to create an environment conducive to academic excellence. One of these policies and procedures can be found in a document entitled "Guidelines for Faculty Members Regarding Student Conduct in the Instructional Settings." This document is available on the VCU Web or it can be found in the 2009-10 VCU Insider. Understanding these guidelines will help you to encourage classroom behavior that does not detract from the quality of each student's educational experience. Please read the document and think about your role in promoting a University culture based on mutual respect and civility.
As a reminder, both faculty and students should turn off cell phones and pagers while in the classroom.