Our Shared Commitment

Wednesday, February 4, 2026

Clarity, Trust, and Responsibility

Hi all, 

Over the past year, UMSI faculty and staff have worked together to craft a proposal for a new Academic Honor Code. This effort was driven by a shared recognition that expectations around academic integrity must remain clear, fair, and relevant in a landscape shaped by new tools, new forms of collaboration, and evolving professional norms. As the School has grown, so have the challenges we and students face in the classroom. Part of the goal of this proposal is to create a sustainable and fair way to resolve academic misconduct.

Academic integrity is foundational to our mission. It supports student learning, protects the credibility of our programs, and prepares graduates for ethical decision-making beyond the classroom. An honor code works best when it is not experienced primarily as a mechanism for enforcement, but as a framework for clarity, consistency, and learning. It sets expectations, supports students when they make mistakes, and reinforces accountability when boundaries are crossed. It is part of a larger framework that many of you already contribute to, which includes innovative assignments, clear syllabi and rubrics, and collaborative interactions with students.

The revised Honor Code proposal emphasizes education, restorative practices, and student success, while also maintaining the standards necessary to uphold program integrity. It provides clearer guidance around emerging issues, including collaboration and the use of artificial intelligence, and it outlines transparent and fair processes when concerns arise.

I want to thank the many colleagues who contributed their time, perspective, and care to this work. Maintaining a strong academic culture is not a one-time task. It depends on ongoing attention, shared responsibility, and trust in professional judgment. This update reflects that collective effort. In particular, the Directors of the Academic Programs and the faculty leads of the Organizational Culture and Community Committee have led this process, and done much of the heavy lifting here. 

My role, as always, is to support you in your teaching and to ensure that our academic policies serve both students and faculty well. We will discuss this proposed Academic Honor Code at the faculty meeting on February 18, and we will hold office hours and coffee chats between the February and March faculty meetings to allow for further discussion and reflection.

Thank you for your continued dedication to teaching with integrity, clarity, and care.

Best,

Cliff 

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

University of Michigan School of Information