FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Smeal Honor Code?

The Smeal Honor Code was an initiative started by Smeal students who wanted to hold themselves and each other accountable for their actions.   The Honor Code is a contract that holds students and faculty accountable for upholding the values of honesty and integrity in their academic careers.

What is happening at Smeal to maintain integrity and discourage cheating?

Upholding the Smeal Honor Code is a shared responsibility.  Faculty and students are working hard to maintain integrity and discourage cheating at Smeal.  Smeal faculty are sending an important message to students by helping them to understand the honor code and how it applies to their course while students are proactively asking questions to clarify ambiguous situations and working with administration to continuously promote the Honor Code and AI Process.

What do I do if I’ve been accused of an Honor Code violation?

If you have been accused of a potential Honor Code violation, you will be contacted by the AI Officer or the Director of Leadership Integrity. Once you have been notified, you should be prepared to answer questions for an Investigation Committee.  You can bring any supporting documents you think will assist you in explaining the situation.  While the purpose of the Honor Code Process is to understand the incident at hand and clarify the situation in a non-confrontational environment, students should take these proceedings seriously and plan accordingly.

What is done to maintain my confidentiality?

One of the primary objectives of the Honor and Integrity Initiatives at Smeal and the Honor Code Process is to maintain students’ confidentiality.  Individuals on the Graduate Programs Honor Board understand the importance of confidentiality and are reminded of their responsibility to maintain that confidentiality.  While results of all Graduate Programs Honor Code cases are posted in the Disclosure Notice that is released each semester, identifying information on the student and the course are omitted.  Additionally, only the Director of Leadership Integrity maintains records of the proceedings.

What is the role of the AI Officer?

The AI officer role in the college is similar in design to that of a compliance officer in a business organization.   Reporting to the Dean of the Smeal College, the AI Officer serves as a resource to students and faculty throughout the case management process.   The AI Officerʼs goal is to ensure consistency, compliance, fairness and transparency in the resolution of integrity matters.   In the interest of continued learning and review, the AI Officer is responsible for program development, student engagement, effectiveness measures, marketing programs and stakeholder communications.

Who is on the MBA Academic Integrity Committee?

The Academic Integrity Committee is comprised of three first year and three second year MBA students who have been elected by their peers.   The chair of this committee is the MBAA VP of Academic Affairs and Student Relations. This committee is only involved in potential violations by MBA students.

What is the “Pool” and who is in it?

All MBA students in the Smeal College of Business receive Academic Integrity training during Orientation and are Pool members. In the other graduate programs throughout the College, Academic Integrity training is conducted at the start of each semester.

What is the Graduate Programs Honor Board and who is on it?

The Graduate Programs Honor Board is comprised of those pool members who have opted to serve as potential Investigation or Review Board participants.  Faculty and staff in the Smeal Graduate Programs are also Honor Board members if they have been pool trained.

Who can report a case?

Graduate students, faculty members or staff who have seen a potential violation of the Honor Code can report a case.  Potential violations can be reported to professors, the Director of Leadership Integrity or the AI Officer.

What do I do if I see an Honor Code violation? How will I be protected?

If you see an Honor Code violation, you have a couple of options. You can raise the issue with your professor or TA.  If you prefer to share your concerns with a third party, then you might bring it to the attention of the Smeal Honor Committee or the Director of Leadership Integrity (rbf11@psu.edu).  Another option is to seek out a trusted faculty member who can discuss the matter with you and provide direction.   Anonymity of the student who reported the act is of high importance, however in some cases the individual who reported the violation may be called in to the investigation or review.

What are some violations of the Honor Code?

Violations of the Honor Code include but are not limited to plagiarism, unpermitted collaboration, dishonorable retrieval and use of data, cheating on assignments or failing to cite references or sources for an assignment.

What is the role of the Investigation Committee?  Who is on the Committee?

The Investigation Committee is comprised of one faculty member and one graduate student from the Graduate Programs Honor Board (individuals who have been pool trained and are willing to serve on committees).  The graduate student who serves on the Investigation must come from the accused student’s program of study. The committee is responsible for examining information related to honor code violations for graduate students.  This committee does not sanction individuals, but rather determines if a case needs to be moved forward for sanction or whether the case can end.

What happens during an Investigation?

During an investigation, the graduate student who has been reported for a potential violation has the opportunity to explain the situation to the Investigation Committee.  The student should feel free to bring any supporting documentation to the investigation.   The student or faculty member who reported the potential violation may also be questioned.  The findings of the investigation can warrant three results from the Investigation Committee – the student can be cleared and a report will be filed with the AI Officers; the Investigation team determines that the case move on to the Review Stage within the College; or, when egregious violations have occurred, the case can be referred to University Judicial Affairs (JA).

What is the role of the Review Committee? Who is one the Committee?

The Review Committee is comprised of one faculty member and two students from the Graduate Programs Honor Board (individuals who have been pool trained and are willing to serve on committees).  The graduate students who serve on the Review must come from the accused student’s program of study. The individuals who serve on the Review Board cannot have been investigators of the case they are reviewing.   The committee is responsible for examining information related to honor code violations for graduate students, reviewing information from the investigation and gaining additional information to conclude the case.  The findings of the review committee can warrant two results – the student can be cleared and a report will be filed with the AI Officer or a violation can be confirmed by the Review Committee and a sanction will be imposed.

What happens during a Review?

During a review, the student who has been reported for a potential violation is brought in for a second time to explain the situation to the Review Committee.  The student should feel free to bring any supporting documentation to the Review.   The student or faculty member who reported the potential violation may also be questioned for clarification on the reported violation.  The findings of the Review can warrant two results – the student can be cleared and a report will be filed with the Director of Leadership Integrity or a violation can be confirmed by the Review Committee and a sanction will be imposed.

Can I have an advocate present for me?

Yes. All students who have a potential honor code violation pending have the opportunity to have an advocate present.   The advocate can be a faculty or staff member, or a classmate.

How are decisions made by the Investigation and Review Committees?

The Investigation Committee makes decisions based on the information they have at hand.  If more information is warranted before a decision can be made, the case is recommended to move forward.   If the committee believes there is adequate information to close the case, the case is closed and no further action is necessary.  In cases where the violation is egregious, the case is moved to University Judicial Affairs.

The Review Committee makes decisions based on the information provided and additional fact finding.   If the committee believes there is adequate information to close the case, the case is closed and no further action is necessary.   If the student is found to have violated the Honor Code, a sanction is imposed based off sanctioning guidelines and preceding case outcomes.

What are some of the possible sanctions for an Honor Code violation?

Possible sanctions for an Honor Code violation include a formal academic warning, receiving a zero for an assignment or receiving a failing grade in a course.

What is a formal academic warning?

Depending on the nature of the misconduct, a student might be given a formal academic warning.  Counseling on academic integrity can help the student to avoid a repeat incident.  The formal warning is kept on file and taken under advisement in the event of a future violation.

How will an Honor Code sanction affect my job search or my transcript?

An Honor Code sanction can affect your job search or transcript depending on the type of sanction imposed.  While a minor violation resulting in a formal academic warning may not have a major affect on your transcript or job search, a moderate to severe violations resulting in a failing grade in a course will impact your transcript and could be harmful when searching for a job.

Who has access to my file?

Records are confidential and generally cannot be accessed without the consent of the student.

What if I want to contest the decision?

Sanctions can be contested with the Dean of the Smeal College of Business.

How can students be sure to avoid possible Honor Code violations?

The best approach is a proactive one and there are a number of ways to put it into practice.

• Familiarize yourself with the Smeal Honor Code and encourage others to do the same. 
• Make sure you understand the rules of engagement and go out of your way to abide by them.  
• Know what the professor’s expectations are for satisfactory completion and delivery of assignments or exams. If you have any doubts, you should seek clarification from the professor.
• See Posters, Tips & Pointers for useful guidance