ACADEMIC INTEGRITY OVERVIEW
York College of Pennsylvania, as an institution of higher education, serves to promote and sustain the creation, acquisition, and dissemination of knowledge. In order to fulfill this purpose, an environment of integrity, dependability and honesty must be maintained by all members of the York College community. Without a foundation based on intellectual honesty and integrity, the very ability to uphold the academic endeavors that York College strives to pursue is inhibited.
Engaging in academic dishonesty is a violation of the school’s academic integrity policy and is not tolerated at York College. Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, cheating on assignments or examinations, plagiarism (i.e. passing someone else’s words or ideas off as one’s own without proper attribution), improper paraphrasing, fabricating research, falsifying academic documents, handing in material completed for another course, and submitting work not done independently (unless part of an explicitly collaborative project).
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY REPORTING
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When a faculty member believes a student has violated the Academic Integrity Policy, the faculty member is encouraged to address the issue with the student directly and promptly, identifying the sanction he or she is going to apply. The faculty member should then reiterate the charge and sanction in writing to the student.
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The faculty member has full discretion to determine a suitable sanction, such as a “0” on the assignment in question, up to a course grade of “0”.
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In the case of an egregious academic integrity violation, the faculty member may request that the Program Director and Dean of the associated school apply a more impactful sanction, which may involve suspension or dismissal from the College. The faculty member has ten days from the written notification to the student to report the incident to the Program Director and Academic Dean of the Associated School should they deem the event an egregious academic integrity violation. The faculty member must submit as part of the report: 1) a detailed description of the incident, 2) a course syllabus, 3) an assignment sheet or assignment instructions, 4) the assignment in question, and 5) supporting documentation, such as copied material. The documentation will be kept on file in the student’s permanent record.
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Students cannot withdraw from a course in which they have been accused of academic dishonesty, until the accusation is withdrawn by the faculty member, or is overturned by the Academic Dean of the Associated School or Provost.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY APPEALS
Students who believe they have been unjustly charged or sanctioned have ten days after receiving written notification from their instructor regarding the incident to file an appeal with the Provost by submitting a formal letter describing the circumstances of the charge, a request for an alternate outcome, and a justification for that request in writing.
The Provost will determine if the student’s case merits an alteration of the outcomes decided by the Program Director and Dean of the Associated School. The Provost will provide a written summary of their findings to the student, faculty member, Program Director, and Dean of the associated school. All decisions made by the Provost are final.
COMMUNICATION STANDARDS
York College recognizes the importance of effective communication in all disciplines and careers. Therefore students are expected to competently analyze, synthesize, organize, and articulate course material in papers, examinations, and presentations. In addition, students should know and use communication skills current to their field of study, recognize the need for revision as part of their writing process, and employ standard conventions of English usage in both writing and speaking. Students may be asked to further revise assignments that do not demonstrate effective use of these communication skills.
ATTENDANCE/ENGAGEMENT POLICY
- Attendance: Students enrolled in courses in which live videoconference sessions are scheduled are expected to attend all scheduled meetings designated by the course instructor.
- Engagement: Students enrolled in courses in which all activity occurs asynchronous are expected to engage in course activity within the timeline designated by the course instructor.
The grade impact of class videoconference meeting absences and/or failure to complete required course activities within the window designated by the course instructor on the course grade will be determined by each course instructor. The class will be informed in writing within the syllabus whether attendance or engagement is used as a criterion in evaluating student performance. The student is responsible for all work of the course unless specifically exempted by the instructor. It is recognized that some absences or engagement lapses may be necessary or unavoidable. The student should inform the instructor of the reason for the absence and make up any work that is missed. The responsibility for initiating action to make up work missed in the classroom rests with the student.
GRADE SCALE
| Grade |
Description |
| 4 |
Superior: This grade denotes accomplishment that is truly distinctive and decidedly outstanding. It represents a high degree of attainment and is a grade that demands evidence of originality, independent work, an open and discriminating mind, and completeness and accuracy of knowledge, as well as an effective use of the knowledge.
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| 3.5 |
Excellent: This grade denotes mastery of the subject matter. It represents excellence in many aspects of the work, such as initiative, serious and determined industry, the ability to organize work, the ability to comprehend and retain subject matter and to apply it to new problems and contexts.
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| 3 |
Good: This grade denotes considerable understanding of the subject matter. It represents a strong grasp and clear understanding of the subject matter and the ability to comprehend and retain course content, but inconsistently applies it to new problems and contexts.
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| 2.5 |
Above Average: This grade denotes above average understanding of the subject matter. It represents a limited ability to comprehend and retain course content and apply it to new problems and contexts.
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| 2 |
Average: This grade denotes average understanding of the subject matter. It represents the grade that may be expected of a student of normal ability who gives the work a reasonable amount of time and effort.
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| 1 |
Below Average: This grade denotes below average understanding of the subject matter. It represents work that falls below the acceptable standard.
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| 0 |
Failure: This grade denotes inadequate understanding of the subject matter. It signifies an absence of meaningful engagement with the subject matter and that the student is not capable of doing or understanding the work or has made little or no effort to do so.
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| INC |
Incomplete: This grade denotes that the coursework has not been completed and an extension has been granted by the instructor.
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| W |
Withdrawal: This grade denotes that the student withdrew from the course by the deadline.
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| P |
Pass: This grade denotes passing in special Pass/Fail courses. |
| F |
Fail: This grade denotes failure in special Pass/Fail courses. |
| AU |
Audit: This grade indicates that a student is registered for a course but receives no credit. |
INCOMPLETE WORK
A student may request an incomplete grade for a course when illness, family tragedy, or similar extenuating circumstances make it impossible for the student to complete the remaining requirements of the course by the end of the semester. The student should contact the course instructor with this request. At the instructor’s discretion, a grade of “INC” may be granted if the student has completed a substantial portion of all course requirements, is in good academic standing in the course when the incomplete is granted, and if the instructor believes the remaining coursework can be completed during the defined period. All incomplete work must be completed within 60 days from the last day of finals in the semester in which the coursework is taken or the student will automatically receive a grade of “0.” It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor and make all the arrangements to complete the coursework within the given time frame.
WARNING GRADES
Students will receive formal feedback from their professors in the form of warning grades. Warning grades will be shared on the date indicated by each program’s calendar of record. Using Spartan Success Network (SSN), instructors will complete the Student Performance Progress Survey to identify students who should get a Warning Grade (flag) or recognition for Outstanding Academic Performance (kudos). This information is recorded in SSN and sent directly to the students’ YCP email addresses; each warning grade flag is also documented on students’ academic transcripts as a “U.” At YCP, a warning grade indicates that a student’s current class grade is less than 2.0 and students who receive them should meet with the instructor of the course and their academic advisor for guidance in improving the grade.
FINAL GRADES
York College issues final grades at the end of each session and these grades are posted online and appear directly on the student’s transcript on MyYCP.
UNSATISFACTORY ACADEMIC WORK
The consequences for unsatisfactory academic progress are described within each program’s section of the graduate catalog.
Appeals of Academic Action
Students may initiate an appeal of an academic decision made within an academic program to the office of the Dean of the School that houses their academic program. Appeals should summarize the context of the academic decision, explain a desired alternative course of action, and provide a justification that the alternative course of action should be followed. Appeals should be submitted via email within one week of student notification of an academic decision. The School Dean will evaluate the appeal then respond to the student via email with a decision. If the decision requires an administrative adjustment, the School Dean will work with the Program Director to make the adjustment.
Students may initiate an appeal of the Dean’s decision by submitting a formal letter describing the circumstances of the charge, a request for an alternate outcome, and a justification for that request in writing to the Provost.
The Provost will determine if the student’s case merits an alteration of the outcomes decided by the Program Director and Dean of the Associated School. The Provost will provide a written summary of their findings to the student, faculty member, Program Director, and Dean of the associated school. All decisions made by the Provost are final.
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