Driven by Integrity

The Acceptable Use of University Computing Resources agreement is one of the many forms we read through as students at Oregon State University. However, it can be challenging to remember or to see how different activities could be in violation of the use agreement. Today, we would like to provide a quick reminder to students to revisit the agreement (link) but also to address some common violations we have seen recently.

Many students, both on and off-campus, run into problems with illegal downloading. If you make the decision to illegally download something, you may face losing your access to internet on campus. The first violation will result in a warning, a second will have your internet access disabled until you meet with an OSU computer technician and Conduct office staff, and a third violation will result in the internet being disabled permanently. You may find that even if illegal downloading is done off-campus or even entirely in another city, there is still a risk of violating the use agreement. When a student comes back on to campus, their computer is susceptible, through downloading programs, to others downloading their shared files while on campus. We recommend students refrain from utilizing these services and to do some investigating of other programs you may consider downloading online.

Recently students have had the opportunity to use note sharing services, such as Notehall. These opportunities provide ways in which students can earn funds for taking notes in a class and sharing these notes with students. It is important, if you are taking notes or accessing them, that you are also mindful of the Student Conduct Code as it pertains to academic dishonesty. However, we have also seen students in violation of the use agreement through these services. Utilizing Blackboard as a means of emailing classmates about the notes you have taken would be a violation of the use agreement by using University computer resources in a manner that is not its intended use and for the individual’s personal gain. Despite the use of email through Blackboard being listed as a possible option for marketing your materials, it would be a violation of the use agreement.

These are just a couple examples. Overall, we encourage students at OSU to become familiar with this use agreement as technology becomes more accessible in classes and on-campus. We may not be able to identify examples that will come out as technology progresses, so the onus falls onto the student to think critically about one’s use of the resources here on campus. If there is something you are unsure of as a potential violation to the use agreement and the Student Conduct Code, please give us a call.

It is true – the academic year has started again. We, at Student Conduct, hope you all have a wonderful start to classes and find yourself academically fulfilled. Remember, there are many resources throughout campus to help you have a successful term.

And this Saturday, Beaver football plays at home! At 330pm the Beavers will square off against Arizona State inside Reser Stadium. Be sure to pick up your tickets as soon as possible.

Football is fun to watch but it is important to maintain a friendly and respectful atmosphere during the game. Being mindful of those around you and the decisions you make will be conducive to creating a fun experience for all fans and players attending this weekend.

A few things to keep in mind about alcohol and fan behavior:

• Alcohol is not permitted inside Reser unless you are in a special area of the stadium.
• Security may be checking bags at the gates; please refrain from sneaking alcohol into the stadium.
• If you are found with alcohol on you, you will be escorted out of the stadium. If you are underage, you will receive a citation from Oregon State Police.
• Disruptive behavior may be cause to be removed from the stadium.
• Please resist throwing things onto the field or elsewhere into the stands. Aside from potentially hurting someone, you could be disrupting some good football.

We’d like to encourage all of you to explore the Game Day Information link produced by OSU Athletics. On this site you can find more information regarding Game Day policies as well as guidelines for behavior.

Have a safe and fun weekend! Go Beavers!

The end of the term is upon us and it is time to party it up! Woo! Well.. maybe have fun and enjoy the weather in safe and responsible ways. With finals and the beginning of summer just around the corner, it is a great time to think about balance and things you do to find rejuvenation each week. This will look different for each person but it is important to discover the ways you personally find fulfillment in your academic pursuits and daily life.

In our office, we each do different things…

Dan really enjoys being outdoors and the opportunity to ride the motorcycle. Weekends prove to be quite a nice time to relax and enjoy fresh air.

Resa recently adopted two puppies that are full of energy and fun. She finds balance in playing with the growing pups and also spending time outside.

Shannon tries to take a long cycle ride each morning to balance out her day. She also finds rejuvenation in talking with loved ones she cannot see as often as she would like.

Heather plans personal thinking time each day, whether that is taking the time to walk to work or spending time alone and without her computer or phone.

As we all head into the summer months, take the time to work but to also plan fun activities you enjoy. The college atmosphere is a busy one and can often be stressful, so use the summer to think of ways in which those fun activities over the summer can be incorporated into the week-to-week life of school.

Go Beavers!

As part of the ongoing drive to increase awareness and education surrounding sexual assault, April has been designated Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The campaign ultimately seeks to prevent sexual assault through education of both individuals and communities. We are extremely supportive  of the work done nationally and in our OSU community in  seeking to address sexual assault on college campuses. At OSU, there are several events occurring throughout the month, which we hope you can check out. Please visit the Student Health Services site to see a detailed list of events.

In our role on campus, we work with students in the reporting process of sexual assault, violence, and/or misconduct. If you are considering whether or not you want to file a report, we encourage you to visit our office. Our priority is your safety and ensuring you are connected to resources in our community. To learn more about our role and the process of reporting, we invite you to explore the resources on our website.  On this page, you will find information for different community resources as well as more detailed information about the reporting process.

We are finishing the fifth week in our term and by now many of you are probably surrounded with lots of exciting tests and papers. As you work to successfully navigate the remainder of this term, we want to start a conversation about academic dishonesty and provide some tips for avoiding academic dishonesty in your work.

First and foremost, some definitions… Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) 576-015-0020 (1.a) defines academic dishonesty “as an intentional act of deception in which a student seeks to claim credit for the work or effort of another person or uses unauthorized materials or fabricated information in any academic work.”

At Oregon State, through OAR 576-015-0020 (1.b), academic dishonesty is broken up into five different parts.

• Cheating: intentional use or attempted use of unauthorized materials, information, or study aids
• Fabrication: intentional falsification or invention of any information
• Assisting: intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another commit an act of dishonesty
• Tampering: altering or interfering with evaluation instruments and documents
• Plagiarism: intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another person as one’s own

So what does this mean in a college classroom? There are a variety of different actions that could be considered being academically dishonest beyond the old image of looking for answers on another person’s test. It is important to be mindful in your coursework and if you are unsure about what you are doing to clarify with questions.

TIPS!!!

• Talk to your professors. Ask them questions if you are unsure about an assignment or test.
• Time Management: look at your syllabi and make a plan to provide ample time to complete any work required for class. Also, it will help you to see if you have any questions for your professor to address before  something is due.
• Utilize campus resources such as the Center for Writing and Learning or Academic Success Center in Waldo Hall. If you have a question about citing, they can look at your paper and address your citation questions to help you avoid plagiarism. Not to mention they can help you with your writing!

WHEN IN DOUBT, ALWAYS ASK!

Good luck with the rest of the term and Go Beavers!

Campus Resource Information:

Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) Programs

5^th floor, Snell hall

541.737.2131

http://oregonstate.edu/counsel/

Academic Success Center

102 Waldo Hall

541.737.2272

http://success.oregonstate.edu/

Center for Writing and Learning

123 Waldo Hall

541.737.2930

http://cwl.oregonstate.edu/

Disability Access Services

A-200 Kerr

541.737.4098

http://ds.oregonstate.edu/home/

International Education

444 Snell

541.737.3006

http://oregonstate.edu/international/

Great news! Winter break is days away. But before the awesomeness of break ensues, many of you might be encountering final exams, papers, and projects to finish out the term. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you are working during finals week:

1. Sleep, eat healthy, and exercise. It is quite simple – taking care of your body and mind will help you be more productive and efficient in your studying. Also, you definitely don’t want to find yourself falling asleep during a final exam.
2. Plan time to study. Studying is important and you might need to do a lot during the week. Be sure to plan some time to study and to do so effectively. Check out these study tips on test preparation from OSU’s Academic Success Center.
3. Take time for yourself. Pace yourself and take breaks. Non-stop can be overwhelming and it’s alright to take some time and relieve the stress of finals week. Read a book for leisure, check out a movie, or go for walk. Take time away from studying and it will help you be more focused when you come back.
4. Say no. It is still finals week though. Limit the number of times you check facebook. Resist the urge to party it up on your “days off” as taking time to recover might impede your study schedule. It is alright to say no.
5. Stay positive. Study, write your papers, and take your exams. Before you know it, it will be winter break and you will have made it through the week.

From the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, we wish you all the best of luck with your final papers and exams!

Go Beavers!

Send us a description of what integrity means to you!

Email your quote to resa.cochran@oregonstate.edu. If your quote is selected, we’ll ask you to stop by our office to take a picture and we’ll put your quote and picture up on our website!

Take care!

The Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards would like to welcome the OSU community and any other readers to our new blog.  We will post information for students, faculty, staff, and parents and family about student conduct and campus events, so you are welcome to check back throughout the year to learn more about what’s happening in our office.

We would love to hear from you!! If you have any questions or topics you would like to see addressed on the blog, please send us an email – heather.pearson@oregonstate.edu.  

Go Beavers!