Appendices

2008-09 Student Handbook

APPENDIX A - ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

APPENDIX B - TUITION, FEES & REFUNDS (2008-2009)

APPENDIX C - ACADEMIC CALENDARS

APPENDIX A

Academic Integrity

Avoiding Plagiarism

According to the USP Student Handbook, Academic Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following: falsification of laboratory data, bringing unauthorized material to an examination seat, copying another student’s work on an examination, misrepresenting someone else’s work as one’s own (including borrowing or purchasing term papers), and plagiarism. Any questions or concerns regarding a student’s academic integrity will be reviewed using the Student Conduct Policy (p. 37-58).

At USP, as in all institutions of higher learning, ideas are highly valued, and so is the individual who expresses those ideas. In both a legal and moral sense, words and ideas are the property of their authors. Plagiarism is the theft of that property. When you plagiarize, you are presenting someone else’s words and/or ideas as if they are your own. This situation applies to all printed material as well as to works and ideas found through electronic sources.

Plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional. In either case, the penalty for plagiarism can be severe, including failure in the course and/or expulsion from the institution. While the various disciplines differ in the specific formats that they use to cite sources, they share a commitment to academic integrity and to the requirement that students use source material correctly. If you have questions about avoiding plagiarism in an assignment for a specific course, ask your professor. You can get assistance with correct documentation at the Writing Center.

Common Knowledge

In general, you are expected to show the source of all information (including facts, statistics, opinions, theories, lines of argument, examples, research results, etc.) except common knowledge. The definition of “common knowledge” may vary according to the expertise of the writer and reader; however, information may be considered to be common knowledge if it meets one of the following requirements:

• It is repeated in many sources
• It would be known by an ordinary educated person who had not researched the subject

For example, the date ( December 7, 1941) of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor is common knowledge; no source would be given for this information. However, a specific historian’s opinion that the U.S. military should have been better prepared for the attack would not be considered common knowledge, and a source should be given for this view.

Paraphrase

Putting someone else’s ideas in your own words is paraphrasing. Usually, a paraphrase is approximately the same length as the original. Careless paraphrasing can lead to plagiarism. When you paraphrase, you must paraphrase completely. This means:

• Don’t use the original sentence structure
• Don’t simply substitute a few words here and there
• Avoid using any of the author’s key words or unique words

Disciplines vary in the amount of the original language that you are permitted to use without quotation; check with your professor if you are unsure. In any case, if it is difficult or impossible to paraphrase certain language, then quote it exactly and use quotation marks.

A good paraphrase takes work. An effective method of paraphrasing is to read the original sentence, think about its meaning, look away from the original, write the idea in your own words, and then check your version against the original to be sure that you have not accidentally used too much of the original language.

Here are some examples of acceptable and unacceptable paraphrases:

Original Version

The craft of hurricane forecasting advanced rapidly in the sixties and early seventies, thanks to fast computers and new atmospheric modeling techniques. Now there is a lull in the progress, strangely parallel to the lull in the storm cycle. The National Hurricane Warning Center shoots for a 24-hour warning period, with 12 daylight hours for evacuation. At that remove, it can usually predict landfall within 100 miles either way. Longer lead times mean much larger landfall error, and that is counterproductive. He who misses his predictions cries wolf.

(From “Our Barrier Islands” by William H. MacLeish. Smithsonian, Sept. 1980, p. 54.)

Unacceptable Paraphrase

(Plagiarized sections are in bold, italic type)

Hurricane forecasting made rapid progress in the 60’s and 70’s due to fast computers and new atmospheric techniques, but there is now a lull in the progress. The Warning Center tries for a 24-hour warning period, including 12 hours of daylight. That close to the storm’s arrival, the Warning Center can usually predict landfall within 100 miles either way. If lead times are longer, there will be a much larger error, which will be counterproductive. (MacLeish, 54).

Explanation:

Many phrases are stolen from the original. Leaving out or changing a word here and there (e.g., “much larger landfall error” has become “much larger error”) is not acceptable. Also, the plagiarized version duplicates the sentence structure of the original, which is not permitted. Even though the author (MacLeish) is supplied, the paraphrase is unacceptable.

Acceptable Paraphrase

During the past thirty years, powerful computers and new techniques that allow modeling of the atmosphere have significantly increased the accuracy of hurricane forecasting, though there have been no improvements in forecasting during the past few years. However, now it is possible to predict where a hurricane will hit land with an error of not more than 100 miles if a warning of 24 hours is allowed. If more than 24 hours is required, the error will be greater. Repeated forecasting errors will cause the public to ignore the warnings. (MacLeish, 54).

Explanation:

This version uses different language and sentence structure from that of the original. Note: Even when your paraphrase is acceptable, you must show the source of the ideas. Putting ideas into your own words does not make those ideas your own. They are still the property of their originator, who must be given credit. The reference to MacLeish provides the credit.

Summary

A summary briefly conveys in your own words the main idea of a passage. Like paraphrasing, careless summarizing can lead to plagiarism. The same rules apply as in paraphrasing: use your own language and sentence structure, and give credit to the originator of the ideas. Here are examples of acceptable and unacceptable summaries of the MacLeish passage given above:

Unacceptable Summary

(Plagiarized passages are in bold, italic type)

Hurricane warnings can be provided within a 24-hour warning period, with 12 hours of daylight for evacuation and can identify landfall within 100 miles. (MacLeish, 54).

Acceptable Summary

Using computers and new techniques that allow modeling of the atmosphere, forecasters can now provide 24-hour hurricane warning and predict where a storm will hit with an error of not more than 100 miles. (MacLeish, 54).

An Example from Science

From Campbell, Neil A. Biology. 3rd ed. Redwood City, CA; Benjamin/Cummings, 1993.

Original Version

The chemical behavior of carbon makes it exceptionally versatile as a building block in molecular architecture. It can form four covalent bonds, link together into intricate molecular skeletons, and join with several other elements. The versatility of carbon makes possible the great diversity of organized molecules, each with special properties that emerge from the unique arrangement of its carbon skeleton and the functional groups appended to that skeleton. At the foundation of all biological diversity lies this variation at the molecular level. ( Campbell, 1993).

Acceptable Summary

Biological diversity has its molecular basis in carbon’s ability to form an incredible array of molecules with characteristic shapes and chemical properties. ( Campbell, 1993).

Combining Paraphrase and/or Summary with Quotation

When you want to include some of the original language of the source, you may combine paraphrase and/or summary with quotation. Here is an example of an acceptable summary that includes a quotation from the original version presented above.

The public depends on accurate, timely hurricane forecasting. When the forecasts are repeatedly wrong, the public will stop believing in them: “He who misses the predictions cries wolf.” (MacLeish, 54).

Explanations and examples in this section have been obtained from the USP Writing Center and have been adapted from the following:

Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 4th ed.
New York. Modern Language Association: 1995.

Leggett, Glenn, et al. Prentice Hall Handbook for Writers. 10th ed.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1988.

Mulderig, Gerald P., and Langdon Elsbree. The Heath Handbook. 13th ed.
Lexington, MA: 1995:77.

APPENDIX B

Tuition, Fees, and Refunds (2008 - 2009)

Tuition

Registration Credit Limits:

No undergraduate/professional student is permitted to register for more than 20 credit hours per semester without written permission from the dean of the college in which the student is pursuing a degree. If permission is granted, the student will be assessed the appropriate per-credit rate for each credit hour in excess of 20 credit hours per semester.

_______________

(a) Applies to 3rd, 4th, and 5th year Pharmacy and Occupational Therapy and 4th, 5th, and 6th year Physical Therapy. Amount does not include any tuition charge for mandatory winter and summer sessions.

(b) Billed in equal amounts over three terms starting with the summer term.

(c) Amount does not include any tuition charge for mandatory winter and summer sessions.

(d) No general fee for these courses.

Fees

Auditing Course Fee

Undergraduate/professional students who audit a course without exceeding the 20-credit limit will not be charged additional tuition. Part-time students will be charged for audited courses at 50% of the applicable part-time rate plus full general fee; overload charges will be computed in the same way for full-time students whose audited courses result in an excess of 20 credits per semester.

Since graduate courses are charged entirely on a per-credit basis, audited courses will be charged at 50% of the applicable per-credit rate.

_______________

(a) Billed in equal amounts over three terms starting with the summer term.

(b) Late payment fee is assessed at $100 per month.

(c) Fall and spring semesters only; does not include inter-sessions or summer sessions (see rates below), except as noted for Alexandria, Gunter, and Chester residents on 12-month plan.

(d) Billing: Annual rate divided into three equal charges billed summer, fall, and spring.

Commuter Plans/Dining Dollars: Can be purchased in increments of $100 up to $400 per semester (Any amount may be purchased as a cash sale, but only yearly contracts for $200 per semester or more may be billed to the students’ accounts.)

     Purchase $100 and receive $110 of Dining Dollars

     Purchase $200 and receive $220 of Dining Dollars

     Purchase $300 and receive $345 of Dining Dollars

     Purchase $400 and receive $460 of Dining Dollars

Summer 2008 Room and Board Rates

Monday, May 12 through Friday, August 15 (including weekends - with exception of the Memorial Day and July 4th holiday weekends)

Option 1 $1,417 per seven-week summer session

     Wilson Student Center, double occupancy - With meals

Option 2 $1,722 per seven-week summer session

     Wilson Student Center, single occupancy - With meals

Meals for summer sessions include Monday breakfast thru Friday lunch only. Dining Services does not operate on weekends during the summer. Weekend meals will be the responsibility of individual summer residents.

The University Administration reserves the right to make changes in tuition, fees, and room and board charges.

Refunds

A student who leaves the University without obtaining Withdrawn status and without completing the semester, or who is dismissed from the University for disciplinary reasons or scholastic deficiency, is not entitled to any refund.

Refunds to students who officially withdraw from the University will be made according to the schedule that follows. Regardless of the reason for vacating, refunds will not be made for unused dormitory room fees, except for official withdrawal from the University. Such refunds will be consistent with the following tuition refund schedule. Pro rata refunds, less processing fees, will be made for meal plan fees, based on patterns of usage. Dining Dollar accounts and general use, all-campus account balances are maintained from semester to semester and from year to year. When a student leaves the University for any reason, a credit to the student’s tuition account will be granted, less a $25 service fee for Dining Dollars accounts and a $5 service fee for all-campus accounts.

The general fee and other incidental fees are only refundable before the first day of the semester. If withdrawal is authorized by the University, a tuition refund will be made in accordance with the following schedule. The official University opening of classes and not the first day in actual attendance governs the refund computation. Courses scheduled outside the standard term calendar will be governed by policies devised for their respective programs.

Segment of Semester Refund

For students who withdraw during a semester, Title IV funds will be returned in accordance with federal regulations (34CFR 668.22) The Return of Title IV Funds (Return) regulations do not dictate an institutional refund policy. Instead, a statutory schedule is used to determine the amount of Title IV funds a student has earned as of the date he or she ceases attendance. The amount of Title IV program assistance earned is based on the amount of time the student spent in academic attendance; it has no relationship to the student’s incurred institutional charges.

Up through the 60% point in each payment period or period of enrollment, a pro rata schedule is used to determine the amount of Title IV funds the student has earned at the time of withdrawal. For example, if a student has completed 20% of the semester, then he/she has earned 20% of the funds that have been or could have been disbursed. After the 60% point in the payment period or period of enrollment, a student has earned 100% of the Title IV funds.

If a student has received more funds than he/she has earned at the time of withdrawal, grant money, as well as loans, may need to be returned under certain circumstances.

Students should be aware that the regulations may prevent the refund of any personal funds used for payment of tuition and fees. In instances where a student has received a cash payment prior to the official notification of his or her withdrawal, the student may be required to return such payment to the University.

Refunds for Dropped Courses

Students who remain active with the University, but drop one or more classes prior to the end of each semester’s drop-add period, may receive a refund of charges for those classes under certain circumstances. If an undergraduate student is registered and billed at the full-time rate and maintains full-time registration (as defined by program and class level), drop/add activity will not affect charges for tuition and fees. If, however, a student is billed at a per-credit rate (all graduate students and any undergraduate students who are, or become, less than full-time), tuition charges will be refunded as follows when drops occur:

The general fee and other incidental fees are only refundable before the first day of the semester. The official University opening of classes and not the first day in actual attendance governs the refund computation.

Students who receive financial aid should be aware that a change in the number of registered credits may affect their eligibility for some or all of their awards. Students are responsible for consulting their award letters and/or any other materials issued by the Financial Aid Office - or for contacting the Financial Aid Office directly - to determine the effect drop/add activity might have on their awards.

Because the Summer I and Summer II terms offered by the Misher College of Arts and Sciences operate on a shorter schedule, both full withdrawals and dropped courses are governed by special tuition refund rules:

The general fee and other incidental fees are only refundable before the first day of the Summer I or Summer II semester.

APPENDIX C

Academic Calendars

Academic Year 2008-2009

Academic Year 2009-2010