Students should be well-informed throughout their academic journey at Isothermal Community College. Academic policies and procedures are guiding principles to foster an environment of fairness, integrity, and academic excellence for all.
At Isothermal, we believe in providing a supportive campus community and learning environment where every student can thrive. Academic policies and procedures are designed to promote academic integrity, uphold standards of conduct, and outline procedures for success.
For more information on college policies, see the Policy Manual, which may also be available in hard copy through the Human Resource Office in the Administration Building.
Isothermal Community College students are entitled to the rights afforded to them and obligations that accrue to them by virtue of membership. The college is committed to fostering a supportive environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive academically, socially, and personally.
The college's student-related policies reflect its dedication to fostering fairness, accountability, and mutual respect. These policies define the rights afforded to students and outline their responsibilities in maintaining a supportive and productive learning environment. For additional information, refer to these policies and procedures.
Overview of Student Rights Policy 05.03.01
Student Code of Conduct Policy 05.03.02
Discipline and Appeal for Academic Violations Procedure 05.03.02.01
Discipline and Appeal for Non-Academic Violations Procedure 05.03.02.02
Academic integrity is an essential component of higher education. It is vital to understand the importance of academic integrity and adhere to academic honesty expectations. This is essential as students build trust, develop intellectual growth, and establish or grow personal and professional ethical standards.
When academic conduct standards are not upheld, misconduct sanctions and disciplinary procedures may be carried out. For more information, refer to the Student Code of Conduct Policy 05.03.02 and Discipline and Appeal for Academic Violations Procedure 05.03.02.01.
Questions about how to appropriately use and reference the works of others can be challenging and confusing. Two great resources to better understand these practices can be accessed through the Library and the Writing Center.
United States Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S. Code) provides authors of original literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works the ability to control how their work is used by others. Section 106 of the copyright law gives the author the exclusive right to:
Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of these exclusive rights granted to the author. Under the current law, copyright protection is automatic at the moment the work is “fixed” in a “tangible medium” - no registration or copyright notice is required. The author may transfer ownership of copyright to another party, such as a publisher, or choose to grant a license (give permission) to another to exercise one or more of these rights. For more information about copyrights, see Copyright Basics or the U.S. Copyright Office’s FAQ page at www.copyright.gov/help/faq.
Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). These rights include the right to reproduce or distribute copyrighted work. In the file-sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without authority constitutes an infringement.
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 affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For “willful” infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorneys’ fees. 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. See 18 U.S.C. § 2319(b); § 3571(b)(3). For more information, please see the website of the U.S. Copyright Office at www.copyright.gov, especially their FAQs at www.copyright.gov/help/faq.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act requires all colleges and universities to offer legal alternatives to unauthorized downloading. EDUCAUSE maintains a list of Legal Sources of Online Content to fulfill this purpose at www.educause.edu/legalcontent. No endorsement or evaluation of any of the linked resources on the part of EDUCAUSE or Isothermal Community College is intended. More information on copyright is available at the Isothermal Community College Library’s website, library.isothermal.edu/copyright.