Academic Integrity Sanctions

Academic dishonesty has serious consequences. If a student, graduate or undergraduate, has violated the academic integrity policy, several different sanctions may be imposed, including:

• Warning. A written notice is provided to the student that they have violated a university academic integrity standard and that repetition of the wrongful conduct may be cause for more severe sanctions.
• Revision of work. The student may be required to replace or revise the work in which dishonesty occurred. (The instructor may choose to assign a grade of “I” [incomplete] pending replacement or revision of the work.)
• Reduction in grade. The student’s grade may be reduced with respect to the particular assignment/exam or final grade in the course.
• Failure in the course. The student can receive a failing grade in the course.
• Failure in the Course, Remediation Required, Temporary Notation of Academic Dishonesty: The student can receive a failing grade for the course with notation on the transcript that the grade of “F” was assigned for reasons of academic dishonesty. Upon successful completion of the Office of Academic Integrity remediation assignment, the transcript notation will be removed. Failure to successfully complete the remediation assignment as prescribed will result in permanent notation of academic dishonesty.
• Failure in the Course With Permanent Notation of Academic Dishonesty: The student can receive a failing grade for the course with permanent notation on the transcript that the grade of “F” was assigned for reason of academic dishonesty.
• Suspension From the University: The student can be suspended for a defined period of time with stated conditions that may include a permanent notation on the transcript.
• Expulsion From the University: The student can be expelled with permanent notation on the transcript.
• Other reasonable and appropriate sanctions as determined by the instructor.

• Remediation. Require the student to complete the Office of Academic Integrity remediation assignment.
• Dismissal from the degree program. The academic integrity violation results in ineligibility for continuation in the student’s degree program.
• Dismissal from the degree program with notation of academic dishonesty. The academic integrity violation results in ineligibility for continuation in the student’s degree program, with a notation on the student’s transcript that the dismissal is for reason of academic dishonesty.
• Dismissal from the department. The academic integrity violation results in ineligibility for continuation in any degree program within the department.
• Dismissal from the department with notation of academic dishonesty. The academic integrity violation results in ineligibility to continue in any degree program within the department with a notation on the student’s transcript that the dismissal is for reason of academic dishonesty.

• Removal from major.
• Loss of financial aid.
• Loss of scholarship.
• Additional time at UB/money spent.
• Harm to reputation.

When a student has an academic dishonesty case at UB, two things happen:

• A sanction is applied by the instructor (e.g., reduction in grade).
• A record is generated with the Office of Academic Integrity.

Undergraduate students with a first-time offense can choose to complete an academic integrity remediation assignment to remove their record with the Office of Academic Integrity, but the remediation process has no effect on the faculty sanction. To change a sanction, a student has the right to appeal.

1. OAI Records: The record generated with the Office of Academic Integrity is part of a student’s confidential file. The information in the record can only be shared with student permission. This typically happens when graduate schools or employers ask students to sign a release form.  A student may access their confidential student file upon request.
   
   Undergraduate students with a first-time non-egregious offense can choose to complete an academic integrity remediation assignment and clear this record with the Office of Academic Integrity, thereby blocking it from being reported to graduate schools or employers. This process has no effect on the faculty sanction, which can only be altered through a successful appeal.
   
   
2. Registrar/Public Records: In severe or repeat instances of academic dishonesty, a student may receive a sanction of “failure in the course with permanent notation of academic dishonesty.” In this case, your penalty would also be visible on your transcript where your course grade would appear as an >F<. It is then not possible to remove that notation or to clear your record in the Office of Academic Integrity with remediation. However, in egregious or repeat cases, remediation is often added as a sanction so that students can learn more about academic integrity expectations at the university level.