Penn State University, the College of the Liberal Arts, and the Spanish Basic Language Program are committed to maintaining academic integrity in all courses. The University, the Spanish, Italian and Portuguese Department, the course instructor, and exam proctors take academic integrity matters seriously.

Academic integrity–scholarship free of fraud and deception–is an important educational objective of Penn State. Academic dishonesty can lead to a failing grade or referral to the Office of Student Conduct.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:

• cheating
• plagiarism
• fabrication of information or citations
• use of online dictionaries or online translators
• use of Spanish spell checkers
• facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others
  • use of a friend or relative as a proctor is not allowed and doing so qualifies as an act of “Unauthorized Collaboration”
• prior possession of examinations
• submitting the work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor and securing written approval
• tampering with the academic work of other students

In cases where academic integrity is questioned, Penn State’s policy on academic integrity requires that the instructor give the student notice of the charge as well as the recommended sanction. Students who are found to be dishonest will be reported to the College of the Liberal Arts and will also receive academic and/or disciplinary sanctions, depending on the severity of the infraction. Students who drop the course while facing allegations of academic misconduct will be immediately reenrolled in the course and will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines until the allegations are dismissed and the drop is permitted. Questions about academic integrity can be referred to the Chair of the Liberal Arts Academic Integrity Committee. For more information, read the Academic Integrity Information for Students at: https://la.psu.edu/current-students/academics/academic-integrity/.

All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. For more information on academic integrity at Penn State you can go to the following URLs:

https://la.psu.edu/current-students/academics/academic-integrity/

https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/student-accountability

Additionally, students enrolled at Penn State are expected to act with civility and personal integrity; respect other students’ dignity, rights, and property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment of academic integrity is requisite to respect for self and others, and a civil community.