Business Student Code of Professionalism

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Faculty at the Perdue School of Business expect every student in business classes to engage in conduct consistent with the professional and ethical conduct a business organization would expect of employees.

The norm used in deriving this code of conduct was the general set of behavioral expectations that would apply to a business person while in a meeting with a client and/or a superior.  As a guide for students, consider how you would act in such a situation and apply the equivalent standard to your in-class and out-of-class academic interactions.

1. Uphold the highest standards of personal and academic integrity in every facet of the program.
   • Never submit work with the intention of seeking credit for that which was completed by others without fully disclosing and crediting the original author(s) or source.
   • Any form of cheating, illicit collaboration, falsification, or any other act deemed to be in violation of academic integrity standards will result in sanctions in accordance with the University policy, outlined in the   Student Handbook.
   • Egregious instances of academic dishonesty can result in dismissal from the business program.
2. Although no dress code is expected, students should not:
   • Wear hats in business class or during extra-curricular business school activities.
3. Classes begin and end at set times. Students taking business classes are expected to:
   • Be in their seat and ready to begin class at the scheduled time.
     • Arriving late is disruptive and disrespectful.
     • If commuting or parking are concerns, leave for class five-minutes earlier.
   • Remain in class until dismissed by the professor.
     • Leaving in the middle of class is unacceptable for non-emergency situations or without prior consent.
4. Students taking business classes are expected to attend all classes.
   • Individual faculty members devise their own attendance policy and absence guidelines.
   • Students will be informed of that policy on the first class meeting.
5. While in business classes, students are expected to:
   • Turn off all cell phones.
     • If on-call for a legitimate work-related reason, the phone must be set to vibrate.
   • Stay awake and alert, with attention focused on the class activity.
     • Sleeping in class will not be tolerated for any reason.
   • Refrain from doing anything not related to the current class (i.e., doing homework for another class; organizing a day planner; reading a newspaper).
   • Avoid side conversations.
     • Talking to a classmate or neighbor during a lecture is disruptive to those students around you who want to learn and disrespectful to the faculty member.
6. When completing assigned coursework, students in business classes are expected to:
   • Devote the necessary time outside of class to complete the work.
     • Expect to spend   2-3 hours per week  on coursework for every credit hour earned in the class. For example, a 3-hour business course represents in-class time plus 6-9 hours per week outside-class time.
     • Students taking a full-time schedule in the business program (15 credit hours per semester) should be dedicating between   30 to 45 hours each week  to their courses, not including class time. This is equivalent to what is expected of a full-time employee.
     • Full-time or part-time employment   does not  grant students in business classes an exception to the time they are expected to dedicate to their education.
     • Students choosing to work full or part-time must manager their time carefully so that assignments and projects are not neglected until the last minute.
     • Students participating in organized campus activities are not exempt from meeting educational expectations in the business program. Course schedules should be planned in advance to avoid any conflict between scheduled activities (e.g., athletic games, performances) and classes.
   • Work cooperatively with other students on group assignments.
     • Respect the need to plan ahead and schedule tasks such that every group member has ample opportunity to meet all of his or her other academic and outside obligations.

In summary, a business person is expected to

• have a presentable appearance;
• arrive on time;
• stay until the meeting or activity concludes;
• be an active, contributing participant during the meeting;
• have the self-control required to remain engaged in the meeting, even when disinterested;
• be prepared, in advance, for the meeting by completing all assigned work; and
• invest the time necessary to complete assignments without passing off another’s work as one’s own.

Students taking classes in the Perdue School of Business will be expected to do the same.

Approved: August 25, 2004