Unless authorized by their instructors, students are expected to do their own, original work on each assignment in each class. An instructor who believes a student has committed an act of plagiarism should take appropriate action, which includes the issuing of a “penalty grade” for academic dishonesty.

UTH Florida University may impose disciplinary actions including probation, suspension, or dismissal to any student found to have violated copyright and plagiarism rules. The university will also consider the severity, frequency, and students violations record in determining the disciplinary action.

Copyright is legal protection for creative intellectual works, which is broadly interpreted to cover almost any expression of an idea. Text (including email and Web information), graphics, arts, photographs, video and other media types, music, and software are examples of types of works protected by copyright. The creator of the work is usually the copyright owner. However, sometimes the person who hired the creator to do the job or purchased the rights to the work is the copyright owner.

Copyright infringement or violation is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works covered by copyright law in a way that violates one of the copyright owner’s exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work or to make derivative works.

It is against policy for any student, faculty, staff member, consultant, contractor, or other worker at the University to copy, reproduce, share, or distribute any software, music, games, or movies except as expressly permitted by a software license or with the written consent of the copyright holder or as otherwise permitted under applicable law.

Willful copyright infringement may subject a student or employee to discipline and can impact the privilege to use information technology resources at the institution. Uploading or downloading works protected by copyright without the authority of the copyright owner is an infringement of the copyright owner’s exclusive rights of reproduction and/or distribution. Even an innocent, unintentional infringement violates the law.

Anyone found to have infringed a copyrighted work may be liable for statutory damages for each infringement and, if willful transgression is proven by the copyright owner, that amount may increase for each work infringed. In addition, an infringer may also be liable for the attorney’s fees incurred by the copyright owner to enforce his or her rights.

Penalties for copyright infringement include civil and criminal penalties. In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or “statutory” damages. For details, see Title 17, United States Code Sections 504 & 505. Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000 per offense.

For more information on United States copyright law, please consult the U.S. Copyright Office’s website at http://www.copyright.gov.

All students are expected to comply with the legal and ethical standards of UTH Florida University. They must behave in a manner consistent with the best interests of the University and the other students.

Academic dishonesty and/or misconduct will result in disciplinary action. Specific instances of misconduct include, but are not limited to, use and/or possession and/or distribution of illegal drugs or alcoholic beverages, cheating, plagiarism, knowingly furnishing false information to the University, forging, or altering University documents and/or academic credentials, intentional destruction or damaging of the University’s property or its affiliates’, and theft of property from the University or other students.

Hazing and bullying fellow students, whether in person or online, will not be tolerated and is considered a violation of the students’ code of conduct, subjecting the offender(s) to appropriate disciplinary actions including suspension and dismissal.

UTH Florida University reserves the right to dismiss any student, at any time, for misconduct as described above. In this event, the refund policy will be applied, and the dismissal date shall become the effective date for any computation. Other instances that may result in disciplinary action include, but are not limited to, unsatisfactory work, excessive absences, use of foul or derogatory language and lack of respect towards members of the faculty and administrative personnel. The University also reserves the right to impose probation or suspension on a student for unsatisfactory conduct as described above.

Described below are the possible academic and disciplinary sanctions which may be implemented, depending on the outcome of a disciplinary review or disciplinary hearing. Parents of students under any type of sanction may be notified if the student is a minor.

Academic Warning: This situation is prompted by a student’s misconduct in relation to a course or assignment. This may result in the student receiving a grade reduction or failing grade.

Disciplinary Warning: Students in this category have been made aware that continuation of a given behavior will result in further disciplinary action by the university.

Disciplinary Probation: Students sanctioned by this status have behaved in such a manner that raises concern whether the student should continue as a member of the institution. Students will be conditioned for a stated period during which continuous good conduct will result in their status returned to good standing. Failure to meet the set standards in behavior may result in suspension or expulsion from the university.

Suspension: Indicates an administrative removal of the student from the college for a stated period due to a major or repeated violation of the university’s student code of conduct or unacceptable behavior by the student.

Expulsion: This status stipulates the immediate and permanent termination of a student’s enrollment in the university due to grave misconduct on the part of a student. The expelled student may never apply for readmission to the university and is not entitled to any claim or refund. This sanction will be noted on a student’s permanent records and transcript.

Other Possible Sanctions: Other non-listed sanctions may be assigned to a student based on the degree of their violation or misconduct including but not limited to completion of a corrective program, or formal written apology.