Faculty Handbook

TEACHING

Penn State’s Web site contains an enormous amount of material on a wide variety of subjects.  Web addresses are referenced as subject areas are presented–please go to the Web site for more complete information.

1.  Academic Integrity

Web site: http://www.psu.edu/oue/integrity.htmlSenate Policy 49-20 Academic Integrity

Definition and expectations: Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest, and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at The Pennsylvania State University, and all members of the University community are expected to act in accordance with this principle.

Academic integrity includes a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation, or deception. Such acts of dishonesty violate the fundamental ethical principles of the University community and compromise the worth of work completed by others.

To protect the rights and maintain the trust of honest students and support appropriate behavior, faculty and administrators should regularly communicate high standards of integrity and reinforce them by taking reasonable steps to anticipate and deter acts of dishonesty in all assignments (Senate Policy 44-40: Proctoring of Examinations). At the beginning of each course, the instructor is expected to provide students with a statement clarifying the application of University and College academic integrity policies to that course.

When confronted with a case of student dishonesty, the infraction should be discussed face-to-face with the student. Such matters, however, must be handled in a prudent manner in order to prevent a student’s rights from being abridged, and accusations should not be made on suspicion alone.  Before proceeding with a case of academic dishonesty, the University policy on violations of academic integrity (Senate Policy 49-20) should be reviewed.  Do not hesitate to seek advice from the department head.

Academic integrity procedures involve filing a form, “College of Arts and Architecture Academic Integrity Conduct Disposition,” which can be obtained from the office of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education in 116 Arts Building.