CODE OF ACADEMIC CONDUCT FOR THE STUDENTS OF THE PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS AQUINAS (ANGELICUM)

PREMISES

Since the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas aims at the integral formation of its students through the development of their intellectual, cultural and human capabilities, and the promotion of an adequate ethical behaviour in this regard;

given

Section IV, article 35 of the norms outlined in the Apostolic Constitution Sapientia Christiana (15/04/1979) which reads: “The Statutes should equally determine how the students can for serious reasons be suspended from certain rights or be deprived of them or even be expelled from the Faculty, in such a way that the rights of the students of the Faculty or University, and also of the ecclesial community are appropriately protected.”

the Academic Senate

approves the following “Code of Academic Conduct of the students”, which determines the activities considered unethical in an ecclesiastical university.

The Pontifical University of St. Thomas requests all its students to study what is envisaged in the “Code of Academic Conduct” and to observe all that is laid down in the articles of its constitution.

Art. 1. Juridically serious infractions .

This section covers all behaviour which not only breaches academic ethics but also the norms of criminal law, ecclesiastical or civil.

1. The forging of documents and in particular the presentation of false certificates.

2. The removal, even if temporary, of books, documents or other material from the Library without the previous permission of the library authorities.

3. The unauthorised use of the internet services, the installation of software in the internet system of the University without prior permission of the authorities concerned.

4. Plagiarising of a written work (texts, theses, dissertations, articles, class notes or published books), i.e. the inclusion of a text, in written or electronic form, taken from another author without precise indications and references to the original source.

5. The presentation, under one’s own name, of a written work of a third person received from any source.

6. The presentation of the same written work of one course to satisfy the demands of another course.

7. The procuring in any manner whatsoever, of the question paper before the relative written examination.

8. The falsification of a document cited from a written work.

Art. 2. Ethically serious infractions

The following are considered actions against the academic ethics:

1. The lack of respect due to other students, the professors and all the personnel of the University.

2. The damaging of equipment, books, objects or structures of the University.

3. The communication, during a written examination, with others with the view either to give or receive help.

4. During a written examination, copying from the work of another student or consulting notes or sources expressly forbidden by the examiner.

Art. 3. Sanctions for juridically serious infractions

With regard to the infractions mentioned in Article 1, one may incur the following sanctions:

1. A warning.

2. The suspension of the right to the examinations for a period determined by the competent academic authority.

3. The abrogation of an examination held.

4. Expulsion from the University.

5. The denial of the awarding of an academic degree.

Art. 4. Sanctions for ethically serious infractions (violations).

With regard to the infractions (violations) mentioned in Article 2, one may incur the following sanctions:

1. A verbal reprimand.

2. A written reprimand.

3. An admonition issued by the competent academic authority to forestall possible violations.

4. An admonition that covers the repair of moral damage where the violation has been committed, to the extent determined by the competent authority.

5. An admonition that covers the repair of material damage where the violation has been committed to the extent determined by the competent authority.

6. Whether the misdemeanour has been committed or not, the examination of the concerned person or interested parties may be deferred at the discretion of competent academic authorities.

Art. 5. Competent Authorities

1. At the beginning of each academic year, on the advice of the individual Deans, the Rector shall constitute a Discipline Committee for each Faculty composed of one professor, the student representative to the academic Senate and by the Dean himself/herself as the President.

2. Any student, professor or any member of the Staff of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas may report to the Discipline Committee of the specific Faculty, any unethical behaviour on the part of any student enrolled in that Faculty of the University.

3. The competent academic Authority responsible for the application of the sanctions for infringements committed by the students is the Discipline Committee of the student’s specific Faculty.

4. The competent Disciplinary Commission responsible may decide, as appropriate, to inflict a sanction or sanctions proportionate to the gravity of the infringement, or not to impose any sanction in cases where there is a lack of sufficient evidence for the reported misdemeanour or when the same is not deemed worthy of the relevant sanction.

Art. 6. Rights of the student

1. In the application of the sanctions the Discipline Committee shall always respect the dignity of the person and act in such a manner so as to safeguard, as far as possible, the person’s good reputation.

2. The student reported has, as stated in art. 27, Section IV of the Norms of Application of the Apostolic Constitution Sapientia Christiana ("In the norms which determine the suspension or the expulsion of a student from a Faculty, the student's right to defend himself must be safeguarded.") the right to defend himself before the academic authorities on his own or assisted by another person authorized by the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee. As a further right of defence, the Disciplinary Committee, in addition to the person reporting the misdemeanour, may decide to hear every other person in the knowledge of the facts.

3. The student has the right to appeal against the decision taken by the Disciplinary Committee to a higher authority represented:

– in the first instance, by a Higher Disciplinary Commission composed of the Rector of the University, a Professor appointed by Senate from among its members and by the President of the Association of students of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas;

– in the second instance, directly by the Grand Chancellor of the Order, as well as the cases provided for in law.

This Code of Academic Conduct was approved by the Senate on May 9, 2008.

Translated from the original Italian.