Honor Code
Student conduct is considered under two primary contexts, which are described below. The first is academic violations addressed in the Honor Code. The second is character and spiritual violations addressed in the Policy on Satisfactory or Unbecoming Behavior as well as other policies listed in the Student Handbook (which can be found in the Student Resources course in Canvas).
Academic Honor Code
Our Honor Code rests upon the entirety of Scripture, but it finds its roots particularly in the 8th and 9th commandments (Exodus 20:15-16), as those commandments are applied in the Westminster Larger Catechism, Questions 140-145.
The eighth commandment requires that we honor the property of others, whether that property be material possessions or copyrighted ideas. Stealing, destroying, misusing, and even borrowing without permission the property of others are among the sins prohibited by the eighth commandment. Active effort to preserve the property of others, as we would wish our own property to be preserved, is the essential duty required by the eighth commandment.
The ninth commandment requires that we honor the truth. Presenting as our own the ideas of others without full and appropriate documentation, failure to abide by the legitimate directions of our positional superiors without communicating to them what we have done, speaking against another person unfairly, and “speaking the truth unseasonably” are among the sins prohibited by the ninth commandment. Zeal for our neighbor’s as well as our own good name, keeping of all commitments, and a diligence to be exactly what we seem to be are among the duties required by the ninth commandment.
Types of Honor Code Violations
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a type of fraud that involves using someone else’s words, ideas, or data as if it were one’s own work or without proper attribution. Plagiarism applies to any type of source, whether published or unpublished, and to any type of assignment, whether written, verbal, or otherwise. Any assignment submitted by a student that includes the words, ideas, or data of another, including those generated by artificial intelligence (e.g., ChatGPT), must include complete, accurate, and specific references.
Fabrication
Fabrication means making something up to deceive or mislead someone. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of fictitious data, research, citations, or any other kind of information. Fabrication also includes making false claims to influence testing or grading, or to gain academic credit.
Cheating
Cheating is an attempt to misrepresent one’s mastery of information or skills being assessed. Cheating takes many forms, including, but not limited to, using (or attempting to use) unauthorized materials, assistance, information, devices, or study aids in any academic exercise. Cheating also includes, among other things, using the same paper or work more than once without authorization of the faculty member to whom the work is being submitted.
Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty consists of any deceitful or unfair conduct relevant to a student’s participation in a course or any other academic exercise or function. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to tampering with grades, any action that unfairly impacts the assessment of one’s academic work, disrupting or interfering with the learning environment or the ability of others to complete academic assignments, intentionally evading WTS’ academic policies and procedures, or failure to comply with previously imposed sanctions for academic violations. Finally, academic dishonesty includes actively or passively attempting to help another engage in any violation of this Honor Code.
Violation Scale
We recognize that violations are considered on a scale between insensitive [a violation in which the student acted unintentionally and without care which resulted in a violation] to severe [a violation intentionally committed, with purpose to act unethically and immorally].
This scale will be used to assess the plan for remediation and/or consequence.
Violation Consequences
Consequences for any violation will take into account the scale of the initial infraction, the result of the investigation, and the number of violations committed by the student during their time as a student. The violation review team will determine and outline the remediation plan with determined consequences. The violation review team has the right to determine the consequence according to the scale of the violation and student in review.
- The first violation of the Honor Code will be categorized as either serious (willful and intentional and/or large in scope) or non-serious (unintentional and careless and/or small in scope).
- A non-serious first violation will result in failure of the assignment or test in question and possibly failure of the course.
- A serious first violation will result in failure of the course and suspension from the seminary for one semester. A second violation of any sort will result in failure of the course and either suspension for one year or expulsion.
Student Code of Conduct
Policy on Unsatisfactory or Unbecoming Behavior
Westminster Theological Seminary seeks to shape students in character as well as academics, as stated in Westminster’s character learning goal in which, upon graduation, students would exhibit a deep love for the triune God, His Word, His truth and His Church and an increasingly Christ-like humility in relation to others.
While the Honor Code addresses academic violations, this part of the student conduct policy outlines the seminary’s policy on addressing obvious character and spiritual violations—issues that are either unsatisfactory or unbecoming of one preparing to minister to Christ’s flock. The goal of this policy is the restoration and well-being of the student, the preservation of Christ’s name, and upholding the integrity and reputation of the Seminary.
The academic catalog states, “Student conduct is under the supervision of the Dean of Students. The institution reserves the right to dismiss from the institution a student whose conduct is found to be unsatisfactory or unbecoming.” Conduct that warrants immediate dismissal is judged at the discretion of the Dean of Students. It includes, but is not limited to, serious breaches of moral behavior or ethical standards.
The Dean of Students will document the behavior that warrants immediate dismissal and report it to the Deans' Council. With the approval of two members of the Deans' Council, the student will be dismissed from the Seminary.
For conduct that does not warrant immediate dismissal, the Dean of Students and/or the Dean of Online Students will speak to the student about their present circumstances as the first step of intervention. This initial investigation will determine a course of action to assist in correcting the problem which may include, but is not limited to, offering counsel, soliciting advice from additional Seminary faculty/staff, and communication with the student’s church(es).
If the student persists in unsatisfactory or unbecoming conduct, the Dean of Students may issue a first and final warning to the student. If after the first and final warning the student persists in unsatisfactory or unbecoming conduct, the student may be administratively withdrawn from the institution.
For more information about expectations for our students, please see the following:
Grievance Policy
The Student Success Team should be regarded as the umbrella for addressing all complaints.
For information regarding the process of filing a grievance or to file a grievance, please email support@wts.edu. More information can be found in the student handbook.