Freshwater and Marine Sciences Graduate Program Handbook-Personal Conduct Expectations

This document provides information on personal conduct expectations in the Freshwater and Marine Sciences Graduate Program.

Professional Conduct

The Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards maintains detailed guidance on student rights and responsibilities related to learning in a community that is safe and fosters integrity and accountability. You are responsible for keeping aware of their policies and procedures.

All students are expected to adhere to the highest standards of professional behavior and ethics. Students should avoid even an appearance of improper behavior or lack of ethical standards while in Graduate School at UW- Madison, in all professional settings, and in their personal lives. Students should conduct themselves according to the standards expected of members of the profession to which the student aspires. Concerns about infractions of Professional Conduct may be effectively handled informally between the instructor/advisor and the student. If a resolution is not achieved, a graduate program representative may be included in the discussion. Separate and apart from a violation of Professional Conduct, a student may face University disciplinary action with regard to the same action. Students are responsible for reading the information here as well as the information published on all the relevant web sites. Lack of knowledge of this information does not excuse any infraction.

  • Professional Ethics: Students shall show respect for a diversity of opinions, perspectives and cultures; accurately represent their work and acknowledge the contributions of others; participate in and commit to related opportunities; aim to gain knowledge and contribute to the knowledge base of others; understand the UW Student Code of Conduct; represent their profession and the program; and strive to incorporate and practice disciplinary ideals in their daily lives. Resumes/CVs must reflect accurate information.

  • Honesty and Integrity: Students shall demonstrate honesty and integrity as shown by their challenging of themselves in academic pursuits; honesty and ethics in research—including honesty in interpretation of data, commitment to an unbiased interpretation of academic and professional endeavors; and the need to document research activities, conduct research with approved licenses and/or protocols (e.g., from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, the Department of Natural Resources, or other agencies). Students shall follow-through and pull their weight in group activities and understand where collaboration among students is or is not allowed; not plagiarize others or past work (self-plagiarism), cheat, or purposefully undermine the work of others; and avoid conflicts of interest for the duration of their time in the program. As a professional, honesty and integrity also extends to personal behavior in life outside of the academic setting by realizing that students are representatives of the program, UW-Madison, and the profession as a whole.

  • Interpersonal and Workplace Relationships: Students shall interact with peers, faculty, staff, and those they encounter in their professional capacity in a manner that is respectful, considerate, and professional. This includes and is not limited to attending all scheduled meetings, honoring agreed upon work schedules, being on-time and prepared for work/meetings, contributing collaboratively to the team, keeping the lines of communication open, offering prompt response to inquiries, and employing respectful use of available equipment/technology/resources. Chronic or unexplained absences are unprofessional in the workplace and could be grounds for termination or removal of funding. To facilitate the free and open exchange of ideas, any criticism shall be offered in a constructive manner, and the right of others to hold different opinions shall be respected.

  • Commitment to Learning: Students are expected to meet their educational responsibilities at all times. Be actively prepared for class and be ready for questions and answers. Be on time for every class and always show courtesy during class or if you have to leave class early. If possible, students should notify the instructor in advance of a planned absence. Students who are unable to attend class are responsible for finding out what occurred that day and should not expect instructors to give them individual instruction. Recognizing that the pursuit of knowledge is a continuous process, students shall show commitment to learning by persevering despite adversity and seeking guidance in order to adapt to change. Students shall strive for academic excellence and pursue and incorporate all critiques, both positive and negative, in the acquisition of knowledge in order to understand and respect the community in which they work.

This graduate program, the Graduate School, and the Division of Student Life all uphold the UW-System policies and procedures in place for academic and non-academic misconduct. In addition, graduate students are held to the same standards of responsible conduct of research as faculty and staff. Furthermore, unprofessional behavior towards clients/subjects, faculty, staff, peers, and public are significant issues in the evaluation and promotion of students. In turn, we hold expectations for the highest level of academic integrity and expect professional, ethical, and respectful conduct in all interactions. Students may be disciplined or dismissed from the graduate program for misconduct or disregard for professional conduct expectations regardless of their academic standing in the program. Separate and apart from a violation of Professional Conduct, a student may face University disciplinary action with regard to the same action. Students are responsible for reading the information here as well as the information published on all the relevant web sites. Lack of knowledge of this information does not excuse any infraction.

Academic Misconduct

Academic misconduct is governed by state law, UW System Administration Code Chapter 14. For further information on this law, what constitutes academic misconduct, and procedures related to academic misconduct, see:

Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards

University of Wisconsin System (UWS): Chapter 14: Student Academic Disciplinary Procedures Academic misconduct is an act in which a student (UWS 14.03(1)):

  • seeks to claim credit for the work or efforts of another without authorization or citation;
  • uses unauthorized materials or fabricated data in any academic exercise;
  • forges or falsifies academic documents or records;
  • intentionally impedes or damages the academic work of others;
  • engages in conduct aimed at making false representation of a student's academic performance; or
  • assists other students in any of these acts.

Examples of academic misconduct include but are not limited to:

  • cutting and pasting text from the Web without quotation marks or proper citation;
  • paraphrasing from the Web without crediting the source;
  • using notes or a programmable calculator in an exam when such use is not allowed;
  • using another person's ideas, words, or research and presenting it as one's own by not properly crediting the originator;
  • stealing examinations or course materials;
  • changing or creating data in a lab experiment;
  • altering a transcript;
  • signing another person's name to an attendance sheet;
  • hiding a book knowing that another student needs it to prepare for an assignment;
  • collaboration that is contrary to the stated rules of the course; or
  • tampering with a lab experiment or computer program of another student.

Non-Academic Misconduct

Non-academic misconduct is governed by state law, UW System Administration Code Chapters 17 and 18. For further information on these laws, what constitutes non-academic misconduct, and procedures related to non-academic misconduct, see:

Office for Student Conduct and Community Standards: Student Nonacademic Disciplinary Procedures

University of Wisconsin System (UWS)

The university may discipline a student in non-academic matters in the following situations:

  • for conduct which constitutes a serious danger to the personal safety of a member of the university community or guest; 
  • for stalking or harassment; 
  • for conduct that seriously damages or destroys university property or attempts to damage or destroy university property, or the property of a member of the university community or guest;
  • for conduct that obstructs or seriously impairs university-run or university-authorized activities, or that interferes with or impedes the ability of a member of the university community, or guest, to participate in university-run or university-authorized activities; • for unauthorized possession of university property or property of another member of the university community or guest;
  • for acts which violate the provisions of UWS 18, Conduct on University Lands;
  • for knowingly making a false statement to any university employee or agent on a university-related matter, or for refusing to identify oneself to such employee or agent;
  • for violating a standard of conduct, or other requirement or restriction imposed in connection with disciplinary action.

Examples of non-academic misconduct include but are not limited to:

  • engaging in conduct that is a crime involving danger to property or persons, as defined in UWS 18.06(22)(d);
  • attacking or otherwise physically abusing, threatening to physically injure, or physically intimidating a member of the university community or a guest;
  • attacking or throwing rocks or other dangerous objects at law enforcement personnel, or inciting others to do so;
  • selling or delivering a controlled substance, as defined in 161 Wis. Stats., or possessing a controlled substance with intent to sell or deliver;
  • removing, tampering with, or otherwise rendering useless university equipment or property intended for use in preserving or protecting the safety of members of the university community, such as fire alarms, fire extinguisher, fire exit signs, first aid equipment, or emergency telephones; or obstructing fire escape routes;
  • preventing or blocking physical entry to or exit from a university building, corridor, or room;
  • engaging in shouted interruptions, whistling, or similar means of interfering with a classroom presentation or a university-sponsored speech or program;
  • obstructing a university officer or employee engaged in the lawful performance of duties;
  • obstructing or interfering with a student engaged in attending classes or participating in university-run or university-authorized activities;
  • knowingly disrupting access to university computing resources or misusing university computing resources;
  • downloading inappropriate or pirated content onto university computers

Research Misconduct

Trust in the accuracy and veracity of the scholarly record are fundamental to science. When that record is tainted, whole fields of study can be set back or questioned. Moreover, when scientists have been found to engage in misconduct, partners and the public lose faith in the ability of all scientists to address society’s grand challenges.

The Faculty Legislation II-314: Misconduct in Scholarly Research policy defines research misconduct. The policy applies to all those involved in the research process including graduate students. The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research’s Research Misconduct page is another resource that provides the definitions, applicability and confidentiality in research misconduct proceedings.

If you have questions or concerns about research misconduct or integrity, this can be discussed confidentially with the Research Integrity Officer (rio@research.wisc.edu).

Much of graduate education is carried out not in classrooms, but in laboratories and other research venues, often supported by federal or other external funding sources. Indeed, it is often difficult to distinguish between academic misconduct and cases of research misconduct. Graduate students are held to the same standards of responsible conduct of research as faculty and staff.

Hostile and Intimidating Behavior

Hostile and intimidating behavior (HIB), sometimes referred to as “bullying,” is prohibited by university policy applicable to faculty, academic staff, and university staff. Refer to the Graduate School’s Reporting Incidents page for further definition, policy, and procedures. Students who are employees and feel they have been subject to HIB in the workplace are encouraged to review the Hostile and Intimidating Behavior website for information about the informal and formal approaches and investigations to take in addressing hostile and intimidating behavior.

Process and Sanction for Violations of Conduct Standards

Failure to meet the program’s academic or conduct expectations can result in disciplinary action including immediate dismissal from the program. If a student is not making satisfactory progress regarding academic or conduct expectations, the advisor will consult with the student’s advisory committee and the Director of Graduate Studies to determine if disciplinary action or dismissal is recommended. Students may be disciplined or dismissed from the graduate program for any type of misconduct (academic, non-academic, professional, or research) or failure to meet program expectations regardless of their academic standing in the program. Separate and apart from a violation of Professional Conduct, a student may face University disciplinary action with regard to the same action. Concerns about infractions of the Professional Conduct may be effectively handled informally between the student and the advisor/faculty member. However, if a resolution is not achieved, the issue may be advanced for further review by the program.

The FMS faculty administer the regulations for the program, with primary responsibility for this administration falling to the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS). A student’s advisory committee determines whether the quality of a student's work and conduct are satisfactory, while the DGS determines whether the student is satisfying the academic requirements in a timely fashion and meeting program conduct expectations. Following notification, students who are falling behind academically or not meeting conduct expectations develop a plan with the student’s advisory committee to allow the student to remain in the program and to make adjustments to ensure timely progress going forward. This statement should include specific expectations, dates for completion and consequences should expectations not be met. Students are dropped from the program if they cannot complete the requirements or remedy their conduct. Within boundaries set by the faculty, the program chair is authorized to take account of individual circumstances and problems, and to grant extensions of deadlines and waivers of requirements. 

Possible disciplinary actions might include but are not limited to:

  • Written reprimand
  • Denial of specified privilege(s)
  • Imposition of specific terms and conditions on continued student status
  • Removal of funding
  • Probation
  • Restitution
  • Removal of the student from the course(s) in progress
  • Failure to promote
  • Withdrawal of an offer of admission
  • Placement on leave of absence for a determined amount of time
  • Suspension from the program for up to one year with the stipulation that remedial activities may be prescribed as a condition of later readmission. Students who meet the readmission condition must apply for readmission and the student will be admitted only on a space-available basis. See the Graduate School: Readmission policy.
  • Suspension from the program, ranging from one semester to four years
  • Dismissal from the program
  • Denial of a degree

In addition to the program’s disciplinary actions, the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards may also have grounds to issue one or more of the following:
•    Reprimand
•    Probation
•    Suspension
•    Expulsion
•    Restitution
•    A zero or failing grade on an assignment/exam
•    A lower grade or failure in the course
•    Removal from course
•    Enrollment restrictions in a course/program
•    Conditions/terms of continuing as a student


Keywords:
FMS, graduate program, Freshwater and Marine Sciences, handbook, personal conduct, misconduct, Hostile Intimidating Behavior, sanctions, violations 
Doc ID:
163025
Owned by:
Elise M. in Biology
Created:
2026-07-30
Updated:
2026-09-24
Sites:
Department of Biology