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Aggie Honor Code

Integrity is a fundamental core value of Texas A&M University. Academic integrity requires a commitment by all faculty, students, and administrators to:

  • Remain constantly focused on the quality of the academic programs
  • Achieve and maintain academic excellence in all courses and programs to assure the value of Texas A&M University degrees
  • Demand high academic standards from all members of the Aggie community
  • Actively promote academic integrity
  • Confront instances of academic misconduct through engagement in the Aggie Honor System Office rules and procedures

All Texas A&M University students, graduate and undergraduate, part-time or full-time, in residence or in distance education, are expected to follow the guiding rule of the Aggie Honor Code:

“An Aggie does not lie, cheat or steal, or tolerate those who do.”

Upon accepting admission to Texas A&M University or one of its branch campuses, a student immediately assumes a commitment to uphold the Honor Code, to accept responsibility for learning, and to follow the philosophy and rules of the Honor System.  A student will be required to state his/her commitment on examinations, research papers, and other academic work. Ignorance of the rules does not exclude any member of the Texas A&M community from the requirements or the processes of the Honor System.

The Honor System Office is charged with promotion of the honor code and administration of academic misconduct cases. The Honor Council, comprised of students and faculty from colleges and offices across the University, will investigate all such infractions of the honor code and recommend appropriate sanctions. The website, http://aggiehonor.tamu.edu, defines the types of infractions and the possible consequences. Students are urged to review this information.

In addition to adherence to the Honor Code, a student (graduate students in particular) who is completing a thesis, record of study, dissertation, and publication may fall under the additional federal requirements promulgated by the Office of Research Integrity (Scientific Misconduct Regulations — 42 CFR part 50), as well as Texas A&M System Regulations and Texas A&M University Rules (Texas A&M System Regulations — Ethics in Research, Scholarship and Creative Work — 15.99.03, and Texas A&M University rules and standard administrative procedures — Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship — 15.99.03.M1, 15.99.03. M1.01-06).

Contact information for each campus can be found at the following:

Intellectual Property

Intellectual Property includes patentable or unpatentable inventions, discoveries, works of authorship, software, plant varieties, trademarks, mask works, and trade secrets. The ownership, management, and commercialization of such Intellectual Property is set forth in System Policy 17.01– Intellectual Property Management and Commercialization. This policy is based on three fundamental principles: enhancing academic freedom, protecting all interested parties, and providing a clear pathway for pursuing technology commercialization.

The Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) recognizes and affirms the traditional academic freedom of its faculty, staff, and students to publish pedagogical, scholarly, or artistic works. In keeping with this philosophy, the System does not claim copyright to pedagogical, scholarly, or artistic works, regardless of their form of expression, except in certain circumstances. See System Regulation 17.01.01 – Ownership of Intellectual Property and Tangible Research Property for more details. Such works include, but are not limited to, copyrightable works of students created in the course of their education, such as dissertations, theses, papers, and journal articles. Furthermore, the System does not claim ownership in popular nonfiction, novels, poems, musical compositions, or other works of artistic imagination that do not constitute significant use of resources and/or are not considered works for hire.  Authors of copyrightable works not owned by the System, its members, or another party such as a research sponsor, own the copyright in their works and are free to publish them, register the copyright, and receive any revenues that may result.

As to other types of Intellectual Property, the determination of ownership of such Intellectual Property would generally include the following factors:

  1. was the Intellectual Property conceived or developed as a result of activities related to an individual’s employment (graduate students who receive a stipend from a member or accept a graduate assistant position at a member are generally considered employees) responsibilities and/or with support from university-administered funds, facilities, or personnel;
  2. was the intellectual property conceived or developed in the course of, or resulting from, research supported by a grant or contract with the Federal Government, state government, a nonprofit, or for-profit nongovernmental entity; or
  3. was there significant use of System’s and/or a member’s resources to create or develop the Intellectual Property.

For more information, see System Regulation 17.01.01, Section 2.2.

Any Intellectual Property that is owned by the System will be disclosed to Texas A&M Innovation. Texas A&M Innovation will review the disclosure and make a determination if it will file for protection and commercialize such Intellectual Property. See System Regulation 17.01.02 – Evaluation and Protection of Intellectual Property. The System will share in any income received that is associated with the licensing of that Intellectual Property with the individual(s) that created or authored such Intellectual Property. For more information on the distribution of such income, please see System Regulation 17.01.04 – Distribution of Royalties, License Fees and Sale Proceeds from Licensing.

Responsible Conduct of Research

Texas A&M University is committed to supporting responsible and ethical conduct of research and scholarship among its faculty, staff, and students. As such, the university follows federal, state, and university guidelines regarding Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). A campus-wide environment pertaining to responsible conduct of research requires researchers to have the knowledge, skills, and tools that enable them to be responsible for their research conduct.

The requirements outlined in University SAP 15.99.99.M0.04 apply to any graduate student, postdoctoral researcher, or undergraduate student participating in research. The specific requirements will depend on the type of student and the type of funding supporting the research. 

What is required for Graduate Students?

Education and training in the ethical and responsible conduct of research are integral elements of research for all graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and undergraduate students who engage in research in any field or who pursue advanced degrees at university facilities. The requirements for graduate students depend on whether the graduate student is participating in research funded internally, by research gift(s), or externally sponsored research. Internally funded research is not funded via an agreement with a sponsor, but is instead funded through internal sources that may or may not be restricted to research. Graduate students enrolled in a course – such as 685 (Directed Studies), 691 (Research), etc. – that includes research as an integral element are also subject to these RCR requirements (e.g., any student conducting research as part of a course, honors thesis, master’s thesis, or doctoral dissertation).

Graduate students participating in research through a course or funded internally or by research gift(s) must complete the CITI RCR training within sixty (60) days from their commencement of the research activity.

Graduate students participating in externally funded research must complete the CITI RCR training and an additional four hours of face-to-face Core training. The CITI training must be completed within sixty (60) days following initiation of such support and the Core training must be completed within the first six months of the student’s involvement in externally funded research.

Additional Information

Additional information, including the specifics on how to complete the training, may be found on the VPR RCR website. Questions related specifically to graduate students, please contact rcr.grad@tamu.edu.

Student Grievances and Appeals Procedures

Specific procedures at Texas A&M University allow students to pursue a grievance for any of the problems, issues, or concerns listed in the table below. BEFORE initiating a grievance, students are strongly encouraged to seek clarification and advice regarding appropriate procedures. The Office of the Vice Provost for Student Services provides Undergraduate Ombuds services to assist students, faculty, staff, and administrators with resolving academic conflicts on an informal and confidential basis.  These are valuable resources for questions regarding grievances and appeals.

Type of Grievance/Issue A&M Student Rule University Panel Handling Appeals Appeals Panel Preliminary and Formal Resolution Procedures
Discrimination and Discrimination Appeals 45 See SAP 08.01.01.M1 56
Disability Accommodations in Academic Programs 46 See SAP 08.01.01.M1 56
Sexual Harassment, Sexual Violence, Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, and/or Stalking 47 See SAP 08.01.01.M1 58
Grade Disputes 48 Undergraduate Academic Appeals Panel 57
Unexcused Absences 49 Undergraduate Academic Appeals Panel 57
Academic Suspension and Blocks 50 Undergraduate Academic Appeals Panel 57
Student Conduct Separation and Appeal 51 University Disciplinary Panel 58
Academic Misconduct 52 Aggie Honor System Office http://aggiehonor.tamu.edu
Financial Assessments by the University 54 Head of Department or Unit Involved Student Fiscal Appeal Process
Parking Citations 55 Student Parking Appeals Board http://transport.tamu.edu/Parking/appeal.aspx

Undergraduate Studies’ units have modified services available to students enrolled via distance education, at branch campuses, or at other instructional locations. 

University Statement for Individuals with Disabilities

Texas A&M University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified students, faculty, staff and visitors and to maintaining an accessible campus community, including making its websites accessible and usable.  Texas A&M University does not discriminate on the basis of an individual’s disability and complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as amended.  

Students are protected from discrimination regarding access to and participation in Texas A&M’s programs and activities.  Texas A&M provides academic adjustments and auxiliary aides to accommodate the needs of students with disabilities, as defined under the law, who are otherwise qualified to meet the institution’s academic requirements.  

Students with disabilities who would like to request accommodations may contact the following resources based on their campus location: 

  • Texas A&M University; College of Nursing; College of Dentistry; Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy College Station; College of Medicine; School of Public Health; Institute of Biosciences and Technology; EnMed Program; Bush School in Washington, D.C.; Mays Business School – CityCentre; and TAMU Engineering Academies should contact Disability Resources at (979) 845-1637 or disability@tamu.edu. 
  • Texas A&M University School of Law should contact the Office of Student Affairs at (817) 212-4111 or law-disability@law.tamu.edu to request accommodations. 
  • Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy in Kingsville should contact the Disability Resource Center at Texas A&M University - Kingsville at (361) 593-3024 or drc.center@tamuk.edu to request accommodations.
  • Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in Canyon should contact the Office of Student Accessibility at West Texas A&M University – Canyon at (806) 651-2335 or pfenstermaker@wtamu.edu.
  • Texas A&M University at Galveston should contact Counseling, Career and Ability Services at (409) 740-4736 or studentservices@tamug.edu. 
  • Texas A&M University at Qatar should contact the campus psychologist, Dr. Steve Wilson +974-4423-0047 or stephen.wilson@qatar.tamu.edu. 

Students with a disability who believe they have experienced discrimination may contact Jennifer Smith, Associate Vice President and Title IX Coordinator in the Civil Rights and Equity Investigations office, YMCA Building Ste 108, 365 Houston St. #108, College Station, TX 77843, civilrights@tamu.edu, or at (979) 458-0308.  Students can also contact Julie Kuder, the Texas A&M ADA Coordinator, at (979) 845-8116 or ADA.Coordinator@tamu.edu. The office address is YMCA Building Ste 108, 365 Houston St. #108, College Station, TX 77843 or see the ADA website at https://urc.tamu.edu/ada.  Reported allegations of discrimination will be immediately forwarded to the Office of Civil Rights and Equity Investigations for review, investigation, or resolution.

For more information about disability accommodations, see Texas A&M University Student Rule 46, Disability Accommodations in Academic Programs or Texas A&M University at Galveston Student Rule 46, Disability Accommodations in Academic Programs. 

University Statement on Harassment and Discrimination

Texas A&M University is committed to providing a safe and non-discriminatory learning, living, and working environment for all members of the University community. The University provides equal opportunity to all employees, students, applicants for employment or admission, and the public regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Texas A&M University will promptly and equitably investigate and resolve all complaints of discrimination, harassment (including sexual harassment and sex-based misconduct), and related retaliation in accordance with applicable federal and state laws, University rules and standard administrative procedures.

The University’s response to allegations of discrimination, harassment, and related retaliation will be 1) prompt and equitable, 2) intended to stop and prevent the recurrence of any harassment, and 3) intended to remedy discriminatory effects, as appropriate.  A substantiated allegation of such conduct will result in disciplinary action, up to and including separation from the University. The University's student sanctioning guidance for substantiated allegations of discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual harassment, sexual violence and related retaliation, can be found here: Title IX Cumulative Sanctioning Matrix.

Students who have questions or believe they have experienced discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment/sex-based misconduct, and/or related retaliation are encouraged to contact Jennifer Smith, Associate Vice President and Title IX Coordinator, at YMCA Building Ste 108, 365 Houston St. #108, College Station, TX 77843, civilrights@tamu.edu, or at (979) 458-8167.  The Title IX website can be found at titleix.tamu.edu.

To report incidents, request accommodations, or inquire about discrimination based on disability, you may contact Julie Kuder, ADA Coordinator, at (979) 845-8116 or ADA.Coordinator@tamu.edu. The office address is YMCA Building Ste 108, 365 Houston St. #108, College Station, TX 77843, or see the ADA website at https://urc.tamu.edu/ada. Reported allegations of discrimination will be immediately forwarded to the Office of Civil Rights and Equity Investigations for review, investigation, or resolution.

University Statement on Pregnancy and Related Conditions

Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, including pregnancy and parental status in educational programs and activities.  This includes harassment and discrimination against a student based on pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from any of these conditions. 

The university is required to provide reasonable accommodations due to pregnancy and related conditions, including excused absences or alternative participation options when accommodations are medically necessary.  Students seeking accommodations should contact Julie Kuder, Pregnancy Accommodations Coordinator, at YMCA Building Ste 108, 365 Houston St. #108, College Station, TX 77843 or (979) 845-8116 or email address TIX.Pregnancy@tamu.edu, or Jennifer Smith, Associate Vice President and Title IX Coordinator, at the YMCA Building Ste 108, 365 Houston St. #108, College Station, TX 77843. Her telephone number is: (979) 458-8167 and email address is civilrights@tamu.edu. For more information, go to https://titleix.tamu.edu/.

Students who have questions or believe they have experienced discrimination and/or harassment based on pregnancy, pregnancy related conditions, or parenting status are encouraged to contact Jennifer Smith, Associate Vice President and Title IX Coordinator, at the YMCA Building Ste 108, 365 Houston St. #108, College Station, TX 77843. Her telephone number is: (979) 458-8167 and email address is civilrights@tamu.edu.  The Title IX website can be found at titleix.tamu.edu.

University Student Rules

Each student enrolled at Texas A&M University is responsible for being fully acquainted with and complying with the Texas A&M University Student Rules. Specific rules, information and procedures may be found in publications pertaining to each particular service or department. Students are encouraged to reference the website at http://student-rules.tamu.edu for current published rules and regulations. 

For information concerning federal and state policies, please reference the appendices in this catalog.