The University has also created a set of procedures that govern how faculty and students must address possible violations of the academic integrity policy.

What Happens When Academic Dishonesty Is Suspected

• The faculty member informs the student of the allegation and provides the student an opportunity to respond.

• When evidence suggests that academic misconduct has occurred, the faculty member will enter a charge and academic sanction on the Academic Integrity Form.

• The student will have the choice to accept or contest the charge. If the student fails to sign the Academic Integrity Form by a specified deadline, the charge and sanction will go into effect.

• In some cases, if the academic violation is considered extreme, the faculty member may also opt to pursue a disciplinary action in conjunction with both the Academic Integrity Committee and the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.

• In situations where the allegation is referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response (OSACR), the academic sanctions will be carried out by the OSACR in consultation with the campus or college Academic Integrity Committee.

• Once a student has been informed that academic dishonesty is suspected, the student may not drop the course during the adjudication process. A student who has received an academic sanction as a result of a violation of academic integrity may not drop or withdraw from the course at any time. Any such drop action of the course will be reversed.

Academic Sanctions

• redoing the assignment

• warning

• reduced grade for the assignment

• a zero for the assignment

• reduced grade for the course

• failing grade for the course

• dismissal from the academic program

Disciplinary Sanctions That May Be Assigned

• XF

• This is a notation placed on a student's transcript for a period of time, or until specified conditions have been met. At that time, the X will be removed, and the F will remain on the transcript. The notation is reserved for the most serious breaches of academic integrity, which may include repeat misconduct.

• educational programs

• disciplinary warning

• disciplinary probation

• disciplinary probation with transcript notation

• disciplinary suspension

Academic dishonesty cases that result in only academic sanctions will not be reported out to others, except in cases of subsequent academic integrity violations. When an academic dishonesty case results in disciplinary action assigned by an OSACR designee, the charge and sanction become part of the student's record, which will be reported out following the guidelines outlined in Penn State’s records policy.