APUS Community Standards

All students, faculty, and staff have the right to a safe, respectful learning environment that is free of harassment or any other disruptive behavior.

APUS Community Honor Code

APUS University Community Honor Code Statement

All members of the university community have the right to an experience that is courteous, welcoming, ethical, and professional. We practice inclusion, value diversity of thought, and uphold respect for all persons. We are all stakeholders in the institution and must work to achieve and abide by these standards. 

Together we are APUS, American Military University, and American Public University. At all times we:

Accept responsibility for our actions.

Practice and promote academic integrity, inclusivity, and professional conduct.

Uphold the expectation of respect and dignity for all persons.

Serve as an active member of the university community, living our values.

Honor Pledge

As a member of the American Public University System learning community, I understand and will abide by the University’s policy of academic integrity as described in the Student Handbook and the University catalog. Furthermore, I agree to the provisions of the APUS Honor Code, and I will not engage in, condone, or assist others in any act of dishonesty, plagiarism, unethical research practices, or other personal or academic misconduct. I also understand that I am a member of the academic community, and my behavior reflects that community.

I understand that I will be subject to appropriate disciplinary and/or academic sanctions if I commit any violations of the University’s academic integrity or conduct policies. Finally, I understand that my success, in part, is tied to abiding by these expectations.

APUS Student Academic Integrity and Professional Conduct Policy

Members of the APUS learning community include faculty, staff, students, and alumni, all of which are considered representatives of the University. As such, their behavior inside and outside the classroom reflects that community. To ensure that the learning community is seen by others in a positive light, the University expects integrity within academic and non-academic contexts. The University, furthermore, reserves the right to investigate complaints made from internal and external parties on conduct violations.

Academic integrity refers to upholding and maintaining honesty and responsibility in scholarship inside and outside of the classroom. In this manner, academic integrity encompasses all scholarly activity carried out as part of academic work. Scholarly activities include, but are not limited to, engagement within the classroom, assignments, tests, quizzes, presentations, field-based assignments or work, and various forms of research.

At the American Public University System (American Public University and American Military University, herein referred to as APUS or University), the APUS Student Code of Conduct requires students to be honest in the submission of their scholarly work within and outside of the classroom. Examples of academic integrity include, but are not limited to, submitting original work in the classroom, and providing proper attribution when drawing ideas from other sources, course discussions, or any other assignment or learning activity. In addition, academic integrity also encompasses research endeavors and would include abiding by Institutional Research Board (IRB) requirements when carrying out research on human or surrogate subjects, managing data responsibly/accurately, and representing research findings transparently in accordance with professional and research ethics. Additionally, academic integrity means respecting the intellectual property of APUS and not reposting or reusing course materials in ways that violate the University’s Student Code of Conduct.

Failure to uphold academic integrity constitutes “academic misconduct.” Academic misconduct encompasses behaviors that create an unfair academic advantage for oneself or disadvantage for others and include, but are not limited to, plagiarism (including self-plagiarism), cheating, falsification/fabrication, theft and/or damage to university intellectual property, facilitation of academic dishonesty, disturbances of learning environments (e.g., classrooms, library, webinars, etc.), and failing to abide by ethical research standards and University IRB requirements.

In addition to maintaining academic integrity, APUS students are also expected to maintain integrity through their professional conduct. Professional conduct refers to the acceptable behavior an individual is expected to exhibit while a student at the university. To uphold professional conduct means to act with honesty, integrity, and respect for others.  Like professional organizations and bodies in many disciplines, the American Public University System expects APUS community members to behave with ethical and moral integrity, exemplary conduct, and respect towards one another. These expectations encompass both virtual settings and in-person contact.  Additionally, some examples of professional conduct include considering and responding to alternative viewpoints respectfully, refraining from personal attacks and inflammatory language, representing oneself honestly in professional or academic activities and achievements, interacting with others with dignity and compassion, and generally maintaining an environment that is free of conflicts, antagonism, or disruptions. Additionally, some Schools and Programs within APUS provide handbooks and specific guidelines for professional and constructive dispositions when interacting with APUS community members.

APUS will not tolerate any forms of dishonesty and misconduct inside or outside the classroom; students will be required to adhere to the APUS Student Code of Conduct.

Campus Security -  https://www.apus.edu/student-handbook/university-policies-and-code-of-conduct/apus-consumer-information/campus-security.html

Contact Information -  https://www.apus.edu/student-handbook/university-policies-and-code-of-conduct/apus-consumer-information/contact-information.html

Equal Educational Opportunity Policy - https://www.apus.edu/student-handbook/university-policies-and-code-of-conduct/apus-consumer-information/equal-educational-opportunity-policy.html

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) - https://www.apus.edu/student-handbook/university-policies-and-code-of-conduct/apus-consumer-information/family-educational-rights-and-privacy-act-ferpa.html

Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation Policy -  https://www.apus.edu/student-handbook/university-policies-and-code-of-conduct/apus-consumer-information/harassment-discrimination-and-retaliation-policy.html

Review of Records - https://www.apus.edu/student-handbook/university-policies-and-code-of-conduct/apus-consumer-information/review-of-records.html

University General Grievance Procedure - https://www.apus.edu/student-handbook/university-policies-and-code-of-conduct/apus-consumer-information/university-general-grievance-procedure.html

Video Conference Policy - https://www.apus.edu/student-handbook/university-policies-and-code-of-conduct/apus-consumer-information/video-conference-policy.html