Personal Conduct and Academic Integrity Standards

By accepting admission and enrolling in the Yale School of Nursing, students certify that they have read this policy and understand the Personal Conduct and Academic Integrity Standards.

Yale School of Nursing (YSN) is an academic and professional community committed to the education of students and development of professionals for a variety of clinical and scholarly roles. The mission of YSN is better health for all people. This mission requires that all members of the YSN community contribute to creating a work and learning environment that maintains the highest standards of academic integrity, values, honesty, and free expression, and respects individual differences and viewpoints. YSN students must abide by the regulations of the university, including these YSN Personal Conduct and Academic Integrity Standards, the university’s sexual misconduct policies, and all other applicable policies. They are also expected to obey local, state, and federal laws, and any criminal charges must be reported to the Dean’s Office and may be cause for discipline by YSN. Additionally, students must abide by the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics (nursingworld.org). Students should be mindful that such violations of these standards, university policy, or local, state, or federal law may impact their future eligibility for professional licenses, boards, or credentialing at a hospital site.

Personal Conduct Standards

YSN strives to cultivate an academic and professional community that respects the health, safety, and property of others, allows all students to participate in its educational offerings, places honesty and integrity at the forefront, and adheres to applicable federal, state, and local laws. With these goals in mind, YSN prohibits the following forms of behavior by its students:

  1. Physical restriction, assault, or any other act of violence or use of physical force against any member of the University community or while engaged in any University activity, or any act that threatens the use of violence or physical force.

  2. Acts of harassment, intimidation or coercion, including the harassment of a University community member on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, status as a veteran, disability, or national or ethnic origin, towards any member of the University community or while engaged in any University activity.

  3. Disruption of a legitimate function or activity of the University community, including impacting the learning experience of classmates by disrupting in person or online classes and meetings, blocking entrances and exits to University buildings, unauthorized occupation of any space on the Yale campus, or preventing the free expression or dissemination of ideas.

  4. Refusal to comply with the direction of a University police officer, security guard, or other official, including a member of the faculty, acting in the performance of their duties.

  5. Misuse, alteration, or fabrication of University credentials or documents, such as an identification card or transcript.

  6. Misrepresentation or lying to University officials, including during a formal inquiry.

  7. Misrepresentation in applying for admission or financial aid.

  8. Without explicit permission of the instructor, recording course lectures or circulating, selling or distributing notes, transcriptions, or outlines of class lectures, or any course materials, in any course of instruction.

  9. The misuse of University funds, materials, or facilities, or willful damage of University property.

  10. Unauthorized use or possession of University services, equipment, or facilities.

  11. Violation of University rules for using information technology services and facilities, including computers, the university network, software systems, and electronic mail.

  12. Trespassing on University property to which access is prohibited.

  13. Possession or use of explosives, incendiary devices, or weapons (e.g. firearms, ammunition, air rifles, paintball and pellet guns, stun guns, knives, etc.) on or about the campus.

  14. Interference with the proper operation of safety or security devices, including fire alarms, electronic doors or gates, fire extinguishers, and sprinkler systems.

  15. Unlawful manufacture, possession, use, or distribution of drugs or alcohol, including serving underage minors, on University property or as part of any University activity, or non-compliance with the YSN Student Alcohol Policy. Yale is a drug-free campus.

  16. Use of tobacco products on any location on campus, including outdoor spaces. Yale is a tobacco-free institution.

  17. Non-compliance with HIPAA and other patient privacy standards.

  18. Non-compliance with patient care and/or workplace policies at any YSN preceptor location.

  19. Violation of the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics.

Academic Integrity Standards

In furtherance of its educational mission, YSN also prohibits academic dishonesty, a term which encompasses making any claim within or about your research or scholarship that is untrue. The following are some forms of academic dishonesty:

  1. Plagiarism, that is, the failure to acknowledge ideas, research, or language taken from others, whether intentional or unintentional. YSN requires citations whenever students either directly quote or indirectly draw upon and benefit from the scholarship of others. This requirement applies equally to all scholarly work by students, including a paper or an exam for a course, a presentation in class or at a conference, or a manuscript for publication.

  2. The unauthorized collaboration with others on graded course work (including problem sets, lab reports, take-home exam questions, papers) without express permission from the instructor.

  3. Cheating on examinations, problem sets, or any other form of assessment, including the unauthorized duplication or distribution of assessments.

  4. The falsification, fabrication, or misuse of data.

  5. Submitting work from one course for a grade or credit in another, without first obtaining express written permission from both course instructors.

Sanctions for Violations

Violations of any of the above Personal Conduct and Academic Integrity Standards may be referred to the Dean’s Office for review by the Disciplinary Committee. The YSN Disciplinary Procedures apply to all such reviews. A separate process and policy applies to reports of sexual misconduct. Such complaints should be referred to the Title IX Office or to the University-Wide Committee on Sexual Misconduct.

Students found responsible for violating the Personal Conduct and Academic Integrity Standards may be subject to penalties, including, but not limited to, one or more of the following: restitution, reprimand, probation, suspension, or dismissal. Penalties of suspension or dismissal will be noted on the student’s transcript. Pending disciplinary charges will be noted on a student’s transcript if the student withdraws from YSN after being formally charged but before such charges have been resolved. A student who has petitioned for a degree will not receive the degree while charges are pending or while serving a suspension.

In addition to imposing penalties for offenses subject to disciplinary action, YSN may refer students for prosecution, and students found guilty of unlawful possession, use, or distribution of drugs or alcohol on University property or as part of any University activity may be required to complete an appropriate rehabilitation program. Violations of the Connecticut Nurses Practice Act may result in a report of the matter to the Board of Nurses.

Approved March 22, 2023 by YSN Board of Permanent Officers