51ºÚÁÏÍø

Chapter Two: Undergraduate Academic Standards and Guidelines

This section provides a general guide for academic standards, guidelines, and resources. For program information, degree requirements, and policies in specific degree programs, 51ºÚÁÏÍø’s catalog must be consulted (particularly for students in graduate programs; certain programs have other student handbooks which contain additional requirements). For other policies and procedures and for additional information, please consult your college dean or the Provost’s Office.

ACADEMIC GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

An academic grievance is a complaint by a student specifically related to a grade, alleging arbitrary and capricious grading, which is defined as the assignment of a course grade to a student:

• on some basis other than performance in the course, or
• by resorting to unreasonable standards different from those which were applied by the same instructor to other students in that course, or
• by a substantial, unreasonable and unannounced departure from the instructor’s previously articulated standards.

Any student who wishes to file a formal grievance seeking review of an academic decision or matter (e.g., grade, instructional practice) may use the procedure below.

This grievance procedure does not apply to:

• non-academic or disciplinary matters,
• academic dishonesty,
• athletics,
• disability accommodations, or
• issues arising under Title IX, which are subject to review under other University procedures.

Any student who has been disciplined under the Academic Dishonesty Disciplinary Procedure (see above) for a related issue cannot invoke this grievance procedure.

Students should first attempt to address any concern directly with the decision maker. In most cases, that is the professor/instructor. Students are instructed to email the decision maker to set up a meeting to discuss their concerns. If a student is not satisfied with the outcome of the informal process, they should move forward with the formal process.

Submitting a formal grievance

The student may submit a written grievance no later than seven (7) business days after the date that the academic decision or action complained of occurred. The written grievance, submitted to the program director of the appropriate school, should describe the relevant background, the decision or action the student seeks to have reviewed, the student’s previous attempts to resolve the matter, and the relief the student is seeking. If the grievance challenges a decision made by the program director, the student should submit the grievance directly to the academic dean.

In considering the grievance, the program director may request additional information from the student, as well as from a faculty member or other person who may have relevant information. The program director, or their designee, will notify the student in writing of their decision (the “decision”) within seven (7) business days after receipt of the grievance or conclusion of the investigation (whichever is later).

Opportunity to appeal

If the student is not satisfied with the decision at step 1, then the student may submit a written appeal within seven (7) business days of receipt of the decision to the academic dean. The appeal must contain: a copy of the original grievance and any documents filed in support thereof, the decision, and a statement outlining the reasons for the appeal and relief sought. After considering the appeal, the academic dean or their designee will notify the student in writing of the decision and the grounds within seven (7) days after receipt of the appeal or conclusion of the investigation (whichever is later).

Final appeal to the Office of the Provost

If the student is not satisfied with the appeal to the academic dean, the student may submit a written appeal to the Office of the Provost within seven (7) business days of the appeal decision.

Appeals will only be considered under the following grounds:

• the decision is contrary to or unsupported by the facts;
• new relevant information has been discovered which was not previously considered; or
• the University’s Academic Integrity policy and procedures were not followed.

In the appeal, the student must include the original grievance and decision, their first appeal and decision, and the grounds for the appeal. After considering the appeal, the Provost or their designee will notify the student in writing of the decision and the grounds within seven (7) days after receiving the appeal or concluding the investigation (whichever is later). The Office of the Provost’s decision is final.

ACADEMIC HONORS

Students demonstrating integrity and scholastic excellence may be elected to one of the honor societies at 51ºÚÁÏÍø. Please refer to the 51ºÚÁÏÍø under “Academic Regulations and Procedures” for more specific information on academic honors and graduation honors.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY, PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES

51ºÚÁÏÍø is committed to fostering an environment of academic integrity, mutual respect, and individual responsibility. We are a community that values the voice of students in their pursuit of academic excellence and personal growth. By choosing to be a member of this community, each student demonstrates respect for the core values of trust, honesty, and ethical behavior and commits to upholding these standards. These principles guide conduct both in and out of the classroom and on and off campus. This applies to interactions with all members of the community as well as the use of university resources and facilities.

Students are expected to maintain a high standard of ethical conduct in their academic activities. Violations of academic integrity will not be tolerated in any form. This term, as defined below, is used to include unauthorized use of another individual’s or entity’s aid in preparation of written, oral, and artistic assignments, as well as during a classroom testing period. All students must be familiar with those regulations. Disciplinary action will be imposed for any violation of academic integrity, regardless of the student’s motive or intention.

The use of AI

As a student at 51ºÚÁÏÍø, you are expected to uphold the highest standards of ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) in your academic work. To uphold academic integrity and honesty, we expect transparency, accountability, and respect for intellectual property in all interactions with AI tools. AI should enhance learning and understanding, not replace independent thought or critical analysis.

If the course syllabus policy permits students to incorporate AI tools in assignments or research, the student must clearly indicate how AI was used. This may include, but is not limited to, using AI to generate ideas, refine language, or support data analysis. A brief explanation of AI’s role should be included in a footnote, endnote, or as part of the assignment’s methodology or acknowledgments section. As with any academic resource, you must cite and credit all sources, including any AI tools used, following APA or other required citation formats. Unethical use of AI or failure to disclose AI-assisted work will be treated as an academic integrity violation and subject to disciplinary action under university policies.

Violations of academic integrity

A violation of academic integrity includes, but is not limited to:

• use of any unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, examinations, assignments, papers, or reports;
• use of sources beyond those authorized by the instructor in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments;
• the acquisition, without permission, of tests or other academic material belonging to a member of the University faculty or staff;
• the acquisition, with or without permission, of tests or other academic material belonging to another student who is taking or has completed the course in question;
• engaging in any behavior specifically prohibited by a faculty member in the course syllabus or class discussion;
• collaborating with other student(s) when not expressly permitted by a professor (if the professor does not expressly indicate that collaboration is allowed, then none is permitted);
• copying or transmitting answers, questions, or parts of tests to other students by use of electronic or other means (calculator, mobile phone, tablet, camera, etc.); or
• engaging in plagiarism, as defined below.

Definition of plagiarism

Plagiarism is the intentional or unintentional failure to acknowledge sources, or the use of commercially available so-called “research papers” or other aids without full recognition of the source. Students are responsible for distinguishing clearly between their own facts, ideas, and conclusions and those of other sources. To use someone else’s words, opinions, or conclusions without giving them credit is plagiarism. Plagiarism also includes “self-plagiarism,” wherein a student submits the same work to multiple classes without instructor approval. Examples include, without limitation: using information or ideas from a source without properly crediting it; copying any portion of another’s work (student, faculty, book, article, journal, internet, etc.) without crediting the author; or submitting an assignment that the student in question wrote during another class, previous or current. Always check with the professor(s) for the appropriate guidelines.

Consent to plagiarism screening

Students are expected to be familiar with and to comply with the University’s policies prohibiting plagiarism as set forth above. Some courses utilize electronic screening to detect plagiarism. These plagiarism screening programs analyze the extent to which students’ submitted assignments constitute original content and compare students’ submissions to an extensive network of web pages, articles, and other student work in their databases. Using these resources, these programs produce originality reports that categorize submission content and determine what percentage of each assignment matches text found in their databases.

By enrolling in course(s), students consent to the plagiarism screening programs described above. They may also be required to approve specific terms and conditions of use when submitting an assignment. Students also consent to retention of their submission to plagiarism screening platforms, but retain full copyright of their submission.

Process for alleged violations of the Academic Integrity Policy

The disciplinary process for alleged violations of the Academic Integrity Policy will be carried out in accordance with the procedures set forth below.

The faculty member’s decision

When a faculty member believes that a student has violated academic integrity, the faculty member shall notify the student of the alleged violation. The faculty member shall meet with the student to discuss the alleged violation. If meeting in person is not feasible, the faculty member may conduct the meeting by telephone or video conferencing. At the meeting, the student and faculty member shall discuss any matters the student wishes to present; after reviewing all pertinent facts, the faculty member will determine whether the student is responsible for the alleged violation and shall notify the student in writing of the decision.

This notification will also be sent to the program director of the school or program, the academic dean, and the Office of the Provost. Upon receipt of this notification, the Provost’s Office designee will notify all parties regarding the appropriate sanction, depending on whether it is a first or repeated violation.

At this point, the student may appeal the decision within ten (10) business days to the academic program director of the school or program that offers the course where the alleged violation occurred. Withdrawal from the course does not remove or alter the violation on the student’s academic record.

Appeal to the program director

To appeal, the student must submit a request in writing to the program director. (If the student does not know who the program director is, they should contact their academic advisor.) This appeal must include a narrative of relevant facts, reason for appeal, and any other pertinent information the student wishes to present. Upon receipt of the appeal, the program director or their designee will investigate or review all pertinent facts. The program director or their designee shall then present their findings to the academic dean. The academic dean and program director will prepare a decision summarizing the factual conclusions within ten (10) business days of receiving notice of the student’s appeal. The decision will state whether or not the student is responsible for the alleged violation, including the supporting facts from the meetings with the student and faculty member. The academic dean and program director shall promptly send the decision to the student, faculty member, and Office of the Provost.

If the student is determined to be responsible for the alleged violation, then the student shall also be notified of their right to appeal within seven (7) days to the Committee on Academic Integrity (CAI).

Appeals to the CAI must meet one of the following grounds:

• the decision is contrary to or unsupported by the facts;
• new relevant information has been discovered which was not previously considered; or
• the University’s Academic Integrity policy and procedures were not followed.

Appeal to the Committee on Academic Integrity (CAI)

If the student believes there are grounds for appeal to the CAI (see above), they must notify the academic dean and program director (or their designee) within seven (7) days. The academic dean, program director, or their designee shall forward the appeal to the dean of students, as committee chair of the CAI. The student’s written appeal to the CAI must specifically state the grounds for appeal, as set forth above. The dean of students (or designee) will review the appeal and all applicable materials to determine its merit. The dean of students will notify the student within seven (7) business days whether or not the request meets the grounds for appeal.

If the appeal is granted, the dean of students (or designee) shall promptly convene three CAI members (the “CAI panel”) to hear the appeal. At the hearing, the student, faculty member, and academic dean, program director, or their designee shall have an opportunity to present testimony or documents. The hearing is not subject to rules governing a legal proceeding, and neither the student nor others attending is entitled to legal representation. Within seven (7) days of the hearing, the CAI Panel shall issue a written decision (the “CAI decision”) to the committee chair, who will promptly provide a copy to the student, faculty member, and Office of the Provost. The CAI decision on the appeal shall be final.

If a student is found in violation, the following sanctions will be imposed

For all undergraduate programs

• First violation: An “F” in an examination or assignment on which the student committed the violation.
• Second violation: An “F” in the course in which the student committed the violation.
• Third violation: An “F” in the course in which the student committed the violation and dismissal from the University for no less than one year

For all graduate programs

• First violation: An “F” in an examination or assignment in which the student committed the violation.
• Second violation: An “F” in an examination or course in which the student committed the violation and dismissal from the University for no less than one year.

The number of violations accrues to each student during total time as a 51ºÚÁÏÍø student at any level.

Committee on Academic Integrity (CAI)

The Committee on Academic Integrity hears and decides final appeals of academic integrity violations. The CAI consists of four faculty members and two administrators, each serving two-year terms. The provost, in conjunction with the Faculty Senate, appoints/re-appoints CAI members upon the expiration of member terms. The dean of students serves as committee chair.

For each hearing, the Committee Chair shall convene a panel of three CAI members, consisting of at least one faculty member and one administrator. Faculty members and/or administrators affiliated with the hearing parties — including, without limitation, the student, faculty member, or department in which the alleged academic dishonesty occurred — cannot serve on that particular panel.

Standard of proof

For all allegations of a violation of Academic Integrity, the faculty member/program director/academic dean will use “preponderance of evidence” as the standard of proof. This is a determination of whether it is “more likely than not” that a student is responsible for the violation.

ACADEMIC STATUS

It is the responsibility of all students to be aware of their academic standing, and to comply with all requirements set by their college or school. For concerns and academic questions, consult the assigned academic advisor. Please refer to the 51ºÚÁÏÍø “Academic Regulations and Procedures” for additional information on academic standing, policies, and procedures.

ATTENDANCE

Students are expected to attend classes regularly. Each instructor may specify in their class outline at the beginning of the semester to what extent attendance will be taken into account when grades are calculated. Please refer to the 51ºÚÁÏÍø under “Academic Regulations and Procedures” for additional information. Students must establish attendance prior to the census date listed on the academic calendar.

ACADEMIC AND CAMPUS TECHNOLOGY SERVICES (ACTS)

IT support

The Helpdesk provides technical IT-related support to students, staff, and faculty. Our Helpdesk is run by UB students, who are trained in University-supported operating systems, browsers, and software, as well as for problems with the UBNet account, Canvas, wifi, and other technology on campus. Academic and Campus Technology Services also provides audiovisual support to student activities and the classrooms.

Please visit the or the portal for the helpdesk location, walk up hours, email address, and phone number, along with online services and Self-Help Guides. Have a school ID number ready or the case number if this is a previously opened support case.

General computer areas are located on the 1st and 3rd floors of Wahlstrom Library, and Knights’ End on the lower level of the John J. Cox Student Center. Hours for each area vary, so please check with staff for the most current operating hours.

COURSE REGISTRATION

A full-time undergraduate course load is between 12 and 18 credit hours per semester. Undergraduate students registering for more than 18 credit hours per semester require the approval of their academic dean and will incur additional tuition charges. Students must consult their academic advisor about course selection and registration forms must be signed by both the student and the academic advisor prior to processing by the Registrar. Online registration is available for continuing students via Student Planning. Approval must be granted by their academic advisor. Students should refer to the online academic calendar for time limitations for registering or withdrawing from courses.

CREDIT FOR PRIOR LEARNING (CPL)

51ºÚÁÏÍø recognizes that undergraduate students may have acquired college level learning through a variety of non-credit sources and that credit toward a degree may legitimately be granted if the learning is verifiable. The process whereby a student may acquire academic credit for experiential learning is the Credit for Prior Learning program. Please refer to the 51ºÚÁÏÍø for additional information under “Academic Regulations and Procedures.”

GRADUATION REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES

Students should consult with their academic advisor one semester prior to their graduation date so that a Graduation Checklist can be completed. This consultation enables the advisor to check the student’s records for discrepancies and allows some time during the final semester to resolve any problems that might appear. The fulfillment of graduation requirements is the student’s responsibility.

The Commencement Participation Form must be submitted by the designated deadline; refer to the Commencement website for further information. Participation in the Commencement ceremony does not necessarily imply a student has met the requirements for graduation from their academic program. Please refer to the 51ºÚÁÏÍø under “Academic Regulations and Procedures” for additional information.

(*) Students with 6 credits or fewer to be completed in the summer semester are welcome to participate in the May Commencement Ceremony. However, they are required to submit a participation petition, proof of a summer semester registration, and the completed Commencement Participation Form on/or before the communicated deadline.

51ºÚÁÏÍø conducts one Commencement Ceremony in May of each year for the summer, fall, and spring semesters. A graduation fee is due at the time the Commencement Participation Form is submitted. This fee must be paid whether or not a student participates in the ceremony. Students participating in the Commencement Ceremony must conform to all regulations. Transcripts and diplomas will not be released until all balances due to the University are satisfied.

INTERNSHIPS AND COOPERATIVE EDUCATION

Internships and cooperative education opportunities provide students with practical experience, by taking what they are learning in the classroom and applying it in a workplace environment. Students work under a supervisor in their desired position to learn the hard skills they need for the working world. Depending on the program, internships are a required semester-long credit. For programs that do not require an internship, students are highly encouraged to take one of these opportunities, in order to gain experience and explore the field and career they are interested in pursuing.

Statistics show that over 70% of employers will offer interns a full-time position and students are 3 times more likely to be hired for a position with involvement on their resume. (NACE)

Students can meet with their career advisor to learn more about internships and the process of applying. Students can also visit the UB Career Development webpages to explore more resources.

OFF-CAMPUS STUDY

Matriculated students are expected to take the courses for their degrees at 51ºÚÁÏÍø. Permission to take courses at other institutions for transfer credit will be given only for valid reasons and must be approved in advance by the student’s program director or dean of their School or College. Permission forms may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar, from the UB portal forms library or the website.

Matriculated students may not take courses at junior or community colleges for transfer credit at the junior or senior level toward their degrees. Students must complete, at minimum, the last 30 semester hours of work toward their degree under the direct auspices of 51ºÚÁÏÍø. Under exceptional circumstances, the dean of the student’s program may modify this requirement. Please refer to the 51ºÚÁÏÍø under “Academic Regulations and Procedures” for additional information.

Revised 9/17/26