The consequences of cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, and other forms of academic dishonesty are serious. Academic dishonesty may result in suspension or expulsion. Faculty members will decide how to handle violations of academic integrity on a case-by-case basis:

• In some cases a faculty member will resolve the matter directly with the student. If academic dishonesty is found, the faculty member may fail the student on the paper, problem set, or exam, or the faculty member may fail the student in the class.

• Whether or not the faculty member assigns a failing grade on a specific piece of work or in a subject, the faculty member may write a letter that will be placed in the student's file in the Office of Student Mediation and Community Standards (OSMCS) or send the case to the Committee on Discipline (COD).

• A letter to file specifies the nature of the academic dishonesty engaged in by the student. The student receives a copy of this letter and may appeal the letter to the COD. If the student does not appeal, or if the appeal to the COD is unsuccessful, the letter stays in the student's file in the Office of Student Mediation and Community Standards (OSMCS) until five years after graduation. No notation appears on the internal or on the external official transcript for a first offense. A subsequent case of academic dishonesty after placement of this letter in the student's file will be treated as a second offense and result in the case's being heard by the COD.

• A faculty member may submit a formal complaint to the COD regarding any matter of academic dishonesty. The COD will then adjudicate the case. Detailed guidelines to the steps followed in every case may be found at http://web.mit.edu/committees/cod/

The entire MIT community is diminished by violations of academic integrity. Such violations damage not only your reputation, but that of the Institute.