Center for Advancing Professional Excellence (CAPE)
Honor and Conduct Code
Disclaimer: This honor and conduct code applies specifically to CAPE. Please refer to your school's honor code for details relevant to your program.
Education at CU Anschutz Medical Center operates under an honor system, expecting all students in health professional programs to exhibit honesty and integrity in their academic, clinical, and professional endeavors. CAPE is dedicated to upholding these principles by maintaining the highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior in all our activities, and we pledge to fully comply with the honor codes of all university programs. This includes, but is not limited to, the following principles:
1. Academic Integrity: We will uphold the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity. We will not engage in or condone any form of cheating, plagiarism, or academic dishonesty. The type of conduct that violates CAPE’s Honor and Conduct Code may include but is not limited to the following:
- Complicity with Academic Dishonesty: Complicity entails knowingly aiding another person in committing an act of academic dishonesty. Examples include, but are not limited to, signing an attendance roster for someone else, sharing a password so a student can take an exam or quiz remotely, taking a test or quiz on behalf of another student, and granting another student access to any part of one's work.
- Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act of using someone else's work or ideas without proper attribution. See https://www.plagiarism.org/article/what-is-plagiarism for more information.
- Cheating: Cheating involves using or possessing unauthorized information, materials, notes, study aids, or other devices, as directed by program faculty or communicating with another person during any academic exercise.
- Fabrication and Falsification: Fabrication involves inventing or counterfeiting information, such as creating results or work not obtained in a study or laboratory project. Falsification, on the other hand, is the deliberate alteration of results or information to suit one's needs in an experiment, patient record, or other academic and clinical activities.
- Misuse of Academic Materials and Facilities: Examples of misuse of academic materials and facilities include, but are not limited to: unauthorized possession or use of CAPE assessments and exams; reproducing CAPE cases, checklists, or exam content; stealing or destroying CAPE materials, supplies, equipment, or another student's notes; unauthorized assistance with CAPE assessments; possession, copying, or use of exams or answer keys; altering academic records; and sharing/disclosing login credentials.
2. Respect and Fairness: CAPE will treat all members of our community (standardized patients, faculty, staff, colleagues, students, members of the health care team and others) with respect and fairness. All members of the CAPE community should conduct themselves in a way that recognizes others' rights and property. We will not tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment, bullying, or unfair treatment. Examples of inappropriate behavior include, but are not limited, to the following:
- Behaviors that lead to disruption of educational or other activities on campus including, but limited to, verbal attacks or outbursts, profane language, bullying, throwing or breaking things, boundary violations, and behaviors that negatively affect the workplace. Comments that are personal, rude, disrespectful, threatening, or belittling, as well as insulting or insensitive remarks, jokes, or behaviors directed toward students, colleagues, collaborators, or coworkers based on age, culture, disabilities, ethnicity, race, gender, language, political beliefs, physical appearance, religious or spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status, will not be tolerated. Additionally, actions, words, or behaviors that a student, colleague, coworker, or patient would reasonably consider to be any form of academic dishonesty, as outlined in respective programs’ Academic Honor Code, or discrimination against any individual based on political grounds, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other illegal or arbitrary reasons, are prohibited.
- Theft
- Damage to CAPE or personal property of others
- Illegal use of university facilities
- Harassment or physical assault
- Any other conduct that threatens the health or safety of others
In the event of illegal activity, both the police department and the respective program faculty will be contacted. Any use of pressure, threats, abuse, or similar practices intended to inhibit or prevent the reporting, investigation, or hearing of an alleged violation of this Honor and Conduct Code is strictly prohibited. Additionally, threatening, intimidating, retaliating, bullying, or similar practices may be considered menacing or battery under Colorado law, depending on the circumstances. Allegations of such behavior will be investigated, and law enforcement officials will be notified if appropriate.
3. Responsibility and Accountability: CAPE will strive to create an environment where everyone can achieve their full potential. We will take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable to the University's honor codes and ethical standards.
It is the ethical responsibility of CAPE to uphold and promote the principles of our faculty partners’ academic honor codes. We will take all necessary steps to discourage academic dishonesty and cheating and have an obligation to report any observed or reported incidents of such behavior. Students have an ethical responsibility to uphold and promote the principles of their respective program’s honor code, refraining from all forms of academic dishonesty, cheating, and any other violations.
4. Honesty and Transparency: CAPE will communicate truthfully in all interactions and maintain transparency in our operations and decisions. All students entering health professional programs are expected to have developed honesty and integrity, applying these principles throughout their academic and professional careers. Additionally, students should demonstrate a level of maturity through consistently appropriate conduct.
5. Collaboration and Teamwork: CAPE will foster a spirit of collaboration and teamwork. We will support and encourage one another, and work together with standardized patients, faculty, staff, colleagues, students, members of the health care team and others to achieve our common goals.
6. Compliance with University Policies: CAPE will adhere to all university policies, regulations, and procedures, including those related to conduct, safety, the use of university resources, and those specified in SOM, DPT, CHA/PA, SOP, SDM, and CON student conduct and honor codes. We will ensure that our actions reflect the values and principles of the university.
7. Commitment to Excellence: CAPE will strive for excellence in all our endeavors, continuously seeking to improve and uphold the highest standards of performance and conduct.
Reporting Violations of the Honor Code
The primary responsibility for reporting violations of the student honor and conduct code resides with the individual who has committed the violation. However, CAPE staff (i.e., leadership team, coordinators, standardized patients, coaches, proctors) fellow students and members of the university’s faculty and staff also share in this responsibility. Each student signs an agreement to adhere to the Honor and Conduct Code within their specified program; therefore, all new violations must be reported.
CAPE will report honor code violations file in writing to designated faculty or Director of Student Affairs & Professionalism. This report will describe the place, date, time, and a description of the incident.
By adhering to these principles, CAPE reaffirms its commitment to fostering a community of trust, respect, and academic excellence in alignment with the university's honor codes.