California Institute of Technology

Academic Resources
Caltech is an academic community with a diverse student, faculty, and staff population. As such, all members of the Caltech community need to abide to some basic rules. They are based on respect, honesty, and common sense. Some of the most highlighted codes of conduct in our community are:

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Honor System

The Honor System, embodied in the phrase "No member shall take unfair advantage of any member of the Caltech community," is the fundamental principle of conduct for all students. More than merely a code applying to conduct in examinations, it extends to all phases of campus life. It is the code of behavior governing scholatic and extracurricular activities, relations among students, and relations between students and faculty. The Honor System is the outstanding tradition of the student body, which accepts full responsibility for its operation. [More]

Computer Ethics

Caltech provides computer resources to assist members of the Institute community in the pursuit of education and research. These resources are intended to be used to carry out the legitimate business of the Institute. As is the case for the use of other Institute property, faculty, staff, and students who use campus computing resources should be guided by the Institute's Honor System, which prohibits any member of the community from taking unfair advantage of another. Some examples of inappropriate use are:

Harassment of other users
Destruction or damage to equipment, software or data belonging to others
Disruption or unauthorized monitoring of electronic communications
Violations of computer security systems
Unauthorized use of accounts, access codes or identification numbers
Use of facilities in ways that intentionally impede the computing activities of others
Violation of copyrights and software license agreements
Violations of another's privacy
Academic dishonesty

Inappropriate use of Institute resources may result in administrative discipline up to and including separation from the Institute. In addition, illegal acts involving Institute computing resources may result in prosecution by state and federal authorities.

Code of Ethics

To find out more about the Caltech community refer to the current Caltech Catalog. The Caltech Catalog is a great resource to understanding the inner workings of Caltech and the community it fosters, while excelling on academic pursuits.