“As a Mississippi State University student, I will conduct myself with honor and integrity at all times.  I will not lie, cheat or steal, nor will I accept the actions of those who do.”
Most MSU students have heard of the honor code but give little thought to what it actually means for them.  Just how prevalent is academic dishonesty at MSU?
According to honor code statistics, which can be found at honorcode.msstate.edu, 220 students were reported for academic dishonesty in the 2009-2010 academic year.  Fifty-five percent of those cases were for plagiarism, and 42 percent were for cheating.  The majority of those students reported were freshmen, who contribute 156 of that number.  Students can view all of the statistics for the past three school years on the website, including the fact the numbers are continuing to rise, year after year.
When a student is caught breaking the honor code, such as cheating, he has three different options. His first option is admitting he cheated and accepting whatever sanction the professor for that class gives him.  This can range from a variety of punishments, including dismissal from the MSU.