Academic Integrity: Consequences of Violations

Academic dishonesty at MIT will bring serious consequences. Sanctions can be imposed by the individual subject instructor or the MIT Faculty Committee on Discipline. Section 10.2 of MIT's Policies and Procedures describes Procedures for Dealing with Student Academic Dishonesty. 

Sanctions Imposed by the Instructor

The instructor in whose class or lab misconduct occurs may take direct action against the student(s) responsible. The instructor may refuse to accept an assignment, accept it and lower the grade for that assignment, require a new assignment, or lower the grade for the whole subject. Depending on the severity of the situation, the instructor may assign a failing grade to the assignment or for the whole subject.

In addition to direct action, the instructor is encouraged to send a warning letter to the student describing the misconduct in detail, with a copy to the Office of Student Citizenship. That letter will be kept on file in the Office. At that point the student does not have a disciplinary record, but if s/he is ever found responsible for any future misconduct (academic or personal), the next incident will be considered a second offense, with correspondingly more serious sanction.

Sanctions Imposed by the Committee On Discipline (COD)

The MIT Faculty Committee on Discipline has the authority to impose any sanction it deems appropriate, including: 

• Reprimand, also called Warning
• Informal Probation, not noted on the transcript
• Formal Probation, noted on the transcript up to the end of the probation period
• Suspension from MIT for a specific period, with notation on the transcript up to the end of the suspension period
• Permanent expulsion from MIT, with notation on the transcript up to two years
• Revocation of a degree already granted, for conduct while at MIT which would have warranted expulsion but was not known until after the student graduated.

For more information, see the COD Rules and the Academic Integrity Handbook prepared by MIT's Dean for Undergraduate Education.