University Undergraduate Advising Handbook

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY STATEMENTS

Academic integrity resources including policy statements for each of the University's colleges are on the Web.

Statements explaining an instructor's academic integrity policy for a course are to be included in the course syllabus.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

An instructor accusing a student of academic dishonesty must follow the University's procedure for handling allegations of academic dishonesty provided in the Academic Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual, G-9. Sanctioning guidelines for academic integrity violations are provided.

Impact on a Student's Record

A student who is in violation of the academic integrity policy may receive a lower grade or a failing grade as an academic sanction. A student may also receive a disciplinary warning, disciplinary probation, or an XF symbol on his/her transcript as a disciplinary sanction.

XF Symbol and Grade: If there has been an egregious act of academic dishonesty (e.g. breaking into an instructor's office to steal tests and selling them), then, with the concurrence of the instructor, college committee, and the Office of Student Conduct, a grade of F is recorded as the student's quality of performance in the course. The grade is accompanied by the symbol X indicating a sanction for academic dishonesty. The symbol (X) remains on the student's transcript for the period of the sanction, and the F grade remains on the student's record.

Course Drop or Withdrawal: A student who has been found responsible for academic dishonesty in a course may not drop or withdraw from the course. If the student processes a regular drop, late drop, withdrawal, or a retroactive late drop or withdrawal for the course, the action will be reversed and the appropriate grade and symbol will be recorded on the student's transcript.

The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. Please consult a Penn State academic adviser for more detailed information.

This page is part of the University Undergraduate Advising Handbook, which is maintained by the Division of Undergraduate Studies, DUS@psu.edu.


Reviewed: January 2012
Last Update: June 2010