2017-2018 Catalog > Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy > Policies for the College of Pharmacy > Honor Code

Honor Code

All FCOP students are bound by two honor codes: the Honor Code for the University of Texas at Tyler and the Honor Code for the FCOP.

College of Pharmacy Honor Code

The FCOP Honor Code is a formal code of conduct that emphasizes the four core principles of respect, honesty and integrity, legal and professional codes and standards, and professionalism and ethical behavior. All students, faculty, and staff are held responsible for behavior compliant with the Honor Code.

1. Respect: The FCOP is dedicated to teaching, scholarly activity, research, and service in a respectful manner. We display respectful attitudes, values, and behaviors in the classroom, at preceptor sites, and in the community. We encourage team work and respect for differing points of views of team members. We respect one another, our supporters, our colleagues, and our patients. We extend this respect to all persons, regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, physical or mental disability, or veteran status. We promote good will amongst our diverse population and uphold the autonomy, dignity, and moral integrity of all persons. We respect the abilities, customs, beliefs, values, and opinions of others. As members of the pharmacy community, we promote the good of every patient in a caring, compassionate, and confidential manner, with respect to their right to privacy.

   The following examples include, but are not limited to, acts that violate the respect principle of the Honor Code and will be subject to non-academic disciplinary action: slander, libel, or defamation (slander, libel, and defamation all involve lying) against the FCOP or a member of its community; a hate crime against any person; violations of patient or individual privacy; behaviors disruptive to the learning environment and/or disrespectful toward other students and faculty, including but not limited to classes begin on time and end at the scheduled time; arriving late or leaving early without prior permission from the instructor; arriving late or leaving early for breaks; unnecessary discussions with fellow students during classroom instruction that is disrespectful to the instructor whose purpose is to lead the learning environment and to other students who attend class to learn; unauthorized or unnecessary use of cell phones or beepers during class; performing activities which divert a student’s attention from the class discussions or lecture, such as reading newspapers or magazines; using electronic devices for non-classroom related purposes, such as playing games, surfing the internet, reading email, or working on another class’ homework; failure to allow or to discourage another student to fully express his or her opinion during class discussion; inadequate preparation for class or excessive class absences; making harassing or obscene comments or gestures, email or voice messages to other students, faculty, or staff members. Acts that violate the respect principle will be subject to non-academic disciplinary action if they occur on campus or are directed against the FCOP or a member of its community while off campus on a FCOP related matter.

2. Honesty and Integrity: The FCOP is dedicated to teaching, scholarly activity, research, and service with honesty and integrity. Pharmacists and pharmacy students have a duty to be truthful in professional and professional-patient relationships. We are committed to teaching, scholarly activity, and professional preparation in a team-based learning environment, in which all individuals are personally accountable and adhere to the tenets of honesty and integrity in the classroom and in the community. Cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty are not tolerated. Individual work is to be based solely on the effort of the individual. Team work and professional relationships are to be based on the collaboration of all team members. All examinations, projects, and in or out of classroom assignments, whether individual or team-based, are expected to be performed and completed with the utmost degree of honesty and integrity.

   The following examples include, but are not limited to, acts that violate the honesty and integrity principle of the Honor Code and will be subject to academic disciplinary action: cheating; plagiarism; claiming authorship of written material not so authored; claiming credit for research not so performed; claiming participation on a team project while not participating in the project; handing in work as one’s own that was completed as part of a team, any other form of academic dishonesty. Acts in violation of the honesty and integrity principle will be subject to academic or non-academic disciplinary action whether they occur on or off campus, depending upon the circumstances.

3. Legal and Professional Standards: The FCOP is dedicated to behavior that follows legal and professional standards in teaching, scholarly activity, research, and service. We comply with and adhere to all federal, state, and local laws and regulations and professional practice standards. Whenever appropriate, we seek advice and counsel to determine the right course of action and make the best decision on behalf of those who depend on us to do so.

   The following examples include, but are not limited to, acts that violate the legal and professional codes and standards principles of the Honor Code and will be subject to academic or non-academic disciplinary action as appropriate: any behavior that violates federal, state or local laws such as assault, battery, stalking or other act of physical or non-physical violence against another person; lewd, obscene or indecent conduct on any College owned or controlled building or property; unauthorized manufacture, sale, possession or use of any substance that causes chemical dependence or impairment; hazing, harassment or retaliation; possession of a deadly weapon in violation of federal, state or local laws or university or college policies; theft or destruction of intellectual or physical property owned by or in the possession or control of the FCOP or a member of the its community; behavior that violates any College or formal affiliate policy or rule; pharmacy and health care related laws and regulations of the United States of America, State of Texas and the Texas Board of Pharmacy; violation of the written standards of practice of the preceptors and practice sites participating in the FCOP experiential education program. Acts in violation of the legal and professional codes and standards principle will be subject to non-academic disciplinary action whether they occur on or off campus.

4. Professionalism and Ethical Behavior: The FCOP is committed to providing teaching, scholarly activity, research and service in a professional manner. We display professional attitudes, values, and behaviors in the classroom, at preceptor sites, and in the community. We expect individual competence, performance, and accountability in a professional manner. We serve as positive advocates for our profession by striving for excellence in the performance of our duties. The core principles of professionalism require that we protect the health and autonomy of our patients and serve patient, community, and societal needs before our own. We encourage all to act ethically in developing and advocating a culture of consideration for codes of ethics, values, and moral convictions of those who could be affected by our decisions.

   The following examples include, but are not limited to, acts that violate the professionalism principle of the Honor Code and will be subject to academic or non-academic disciplinary action as appropriate: any behavior which violates the APhA Code of Ethics (http://www.pharmacist.com/code-ethics) whether in a student-student, student-faculty, student pharmacist-patient, or student pharmacist-colleague relationship on campus or a practice environment. Acts in violation of the professionalism principle will be subject to non-academic disciplinary action whether they occur on or off campus.

5. Non-Retaliation: FCOP does not tolerate retaliation against individuals who report hateful, dishonest, illegal, unethical, unprofessional, or otherwise inappropriate acts. Anyone who retaliates against these individuals is in violation of the Honor Code and is subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the College.