Disclosure Notice

Smeal Honor Code

Undergraduate Disclosure Notice – Spring/ Summer 2009

Dear Smeal Community,

Following is a summary of the academic integrity violations that occurred over the course of the 2009 spring and summer semesters.

Please note that all academic integrity case records are maintained in a permanent file at the University Office of Judicial Affairs.

Infraction: Cheating on Exams

Multiple students were sanctioned for violating honor code guidelines while taking exams.  These infractions included communicating exam information; attempting to solicit exam information; and copying answers from other students’ exams.

Sanctions: Sanctions for these infractions ranged from a zero on the exam to reduced or failing course grades. 

Infraction: Copying and Wrongful Collaboration

Undergraduate students violated the Smeal Honor Code by turning in homework assignments that failed to follow the stated assignment guidelines.  Incidents ranged from copying homework answers to collaborating on homework assignments that were to be completed individually.

Sanctions: Students received failing grades for these assignments.

Infraction: Plagiarism

Smeal students  misrepresented their work by failing to cite sources on homework assignments, papers, and presentations.  

Sanctions: These honor code violations resulted in outcomes ranging from F’s on the assignment to failing course grades. 

Key Learning

In the spirit of continued learning and informed dialogue, we would like to highlight some key takeaways from these experiences.

1.    Violations of the Honor Code go beyond plagiarism and cheating. In these particular cases, students shared information about exams and violated assignment guidelines established by the professor: all of which constitute academic integrity violations. 

2.    Accountability is a key tenet of the Smeal Honor Code.  Students should hold themselves accountable for following assignment guidelines and consult with professors when directions are unclear.  Smeal students share an obligation to hold one another accountable by preventing or actively addressing honor code violations.  Students who either observe others cheating or are asked to take part in honor code violations should immediately report the matter to their TA or professor.        

3.    Rarely are any two infractions of the Smeal Honor Code exactly alike. The extent and nature of the wrongdoing, as well as a student’s prior history of committing violations are taken into consideration when determining sanctions.

We invite you to reflect on these learning opportunities, and if you would like to share your thoughts, please do so by contacting any of us by e-mail. Your feedback and active participation continue to strengthen our honor code.  Once again, we thank all of you for your ongoing commitment to honor and academic excellence in the Smeal Community.

Sincerely,

Jim Thomas (j2t@psu.edu)   

Dean          

Smeal College of Business

Gus Colangelo (axc31@psu.edu)

Associate Dean,Undergraduate Programs

Smeal College of Business

Vernis Welmon (vmw1@psu.edu)

Associate Dean, Diversity and Community    

Smeal College of Business

Renee Flemish (rbf11@psu.edu)

Director, Leadership Integrity

Smeal College of Business