2023 Integrity Week Events  

Integrity Week at Columbia facilitates integral conversations with our campus community about integrity and ethics in academia through programs and workshops that center discussion on the fundamental values of academic integrity in research, teaching, and learning. This week of collective action and learning strengthens the Columbia community commitment to honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage. Check out this year's program.

If you are interested in helping to plan future events to build our culture of integrity please email ugrad-integrity@columbia.edu

What is Academic Integrity?

Academic integrity defines a university and is essential to the mission of education. At Columbia, you are expected to participate in an academic community that honors intellectual work and respects its origins. The ability to synthesize information and produce original work are key components in the learning process. As such, a violation of academic integrity is one of the most serious offenses that one can commit at Columbia. If found responsible, violations range from conditional disciplinary probation through expulsion from the university. Compromising academic integrity not only jeopardizes a student's academic, professional, and social development; it violates the standards of our community. As a Columbia student, you are responsible for making informed choices with regard to academic integrity both inside and outside of the classroom.

Academic Integrity Values

The Academic Integrity values of Honesty, Trust, Fairness, Respect, Responsibility, and Courage come from the International Center for Academic Integrity. These six values directly apply to our Columbia academic community. Each year that you are a student here, you will continue to hear periodic updates from the Director of Academic Integrity regarding how to continue to uphold your pledge to support our academic integrity values. Every one of us has a role to play in building our academic community of integrity.

CC-SEAS Integrity Undergraduate Advisory Group 

The purpose of the Columbia College and Columbia Engineering Integrity Undergraduate Student Advisory group is to provide advice and direction on three issues of importance to the undergraduate student experience on academic integrity, ethics education, ethics programming; and academic integrity processes.

The strength in this advisory group is its membership involving undergraduate students, all of whom have an interest in ensuring that we all “Wear the the Crown with Honor” at Columbia College and Columbia Engineering.

The advisory group meets monthly (during the regular academic year).

If you’d like to get involved by becoming a member of this group, please fill out the interest form and the Director of Academic Integrity will let you know if we have openings on the board.

Honor Pledge

The Student Councils of Columbia College and Undergraduate Engineering, on behalf of their respective student body, have resolved that maintaining academic integrity is the preserve of all members of our intellectual community. As a consequence, all Columbia College and undergraduate Columbia Engineering students are committed to the following honor pledge:

We, the undergraduate students of Columbia University, hereby pledge to value the integrity of our ideas and the ideas of others by honestly presenting our work, respecting authorship, and striving not simply for answers but for understanding in the pursuit of our common scholastic goals. In this way, we seek to build an academic community governed by our collective efforts, diligence, and Code of Honor.

Honor Code

In addition, all Columbia College and undergraduate Columbia Engineering students are committed to the following honor code:

I affirm that I will not plagiarize, use unauthorized materials, or give or receive illegitimate help on assignments, papers, or examinations. I will also uphold equity and honesty in the evaluation of my work and the work of others. I do so to sustain a community built around this Code of Honor.

History of the Honor Code & Honor Pledge

Academic Integrity has always been an important value for undergraduates at Columbia. In 2013, the Columbia College and Columbia Engineering Honor code was created through a student led initiative that began with the Columbia College Student Council Academic Integrity Task Force. Today the Honor Code continues to shape the academic culture of Columbia College and Columbia Engineering. Based on this collective understanding, academic integrity requires a commitment from all members of the CC and SEAS community when entering Columbia as an academic citizen.

Academic Affairs representatives from the Columbia College Student Council (CCSC) and the Engineering Student Council (ESC) continue the tradition each year of reciting the honor code during Convocation and signing the Honor Pledge and Honor Code during their Dean's welcome assemblies. During the Dean's assembly, incoming Columbia College and Columbia Engineering undergraduate students additionally receive an Honor pin to symbolize their commitment to "Wear the Crown with Honor" at Columbia and beyond.