Penn State University Student Conduct & Academic Misconduct Defense

Penn State's academic integrity process is decentralized to the college, school, or campus level, every Penn State campus and every college has its own Academic Integrity Committee, so the exact composition and nuance varies by program

Students receive an explicit 5-business-day window to contest an allegation or sanction, which is tight and firm

Penn State offers a formal paper-review option alongside the Zoom hearing, letting students decide whether to present live or on the written record

Outcomes are categorized as Educational, Reflective, or Restorative, reflecting Penn State's emphasis on outcome purpose alongside the administrative sanction ladder

Student advocates at hearings may be faculty, staff, or another student from Penn State, they do not have to be a licensed advisor

Penn State Dickinson Law and Penn State Law

Law School honor code process

Law students at both Dickinson Law (Carlisle) and Penn State Law (University Park) are subject to separate honor code procedures.

Penn State College of Medicine

College of Medicine Promotions and Review Committees

Medical students face academic progression and professionalism review through the College of Medicine, in addition to any university-level misconduct review.

Who handles academic misconduct cases at Penn State?

College or Campus Academic Integrity Committee has jurisdiction over academic misconduct matters at Penn State. Penn State decentralizes academic integrity adjudication to the college, school, or campus academic integrity committee in which the student is enrolled. Each committee is composed of faculty (and in some colleges, students) responsible for hearing contested cases. For non-academic conduct, the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response administers the code through administrative conferences. Academic integrity violations are handled by the instructor and the appropriate college, school, or campus academic integrity committee. Non-academic conduct (substance misconduct, general misconduct, harassment, etc.) is handled under the Student Code of Conduct through Student Accountability and Conflict Response. Sexual misconduct is covered under University policies AD85 and AD91.

What is the evidence standard at Penn State?

Penn State applies Preponderance of the evidence, the burden of proof rests with the University, and the student is presumed not in violation until acceptance or formal finding under Penn State Student Code of Conduct and Academic Integrity Policy. College or Campus Academic Integrity Committee uses this standard when determining whether a student is responsible for an alleged violation. The evidence standard is critical because it determines how strong the evidence must be before a finding of responsibility can be made.

What rights do I have during a Penn State conduct proceeding?

Under Penn State Student Code of Conduct and Academic Integrity Policy, students facing a College or Campus Academic Integrity Committee proceeding have specific procedural rights, including the right to written notice of the allegations; an informational meeting to understand the process; accept responsibility with conditions rather than proceeding to hearing; contest the allegation and/or the proposed academic sanction within 5 business days. Exercising these rights correctly from the first notice can materially affect the outcome of your case.

How is an academic misconduct case initiated at Penn State?

For academic cases, the instructor determines whether the student violated the academic integrity policy and proposes an academic sanction (e.g., reduced grade, failure for the course). The student has 5 business days to accept the allegation and sanction or to contest. If contested, the college's Academic Integrity Committee gives the student the option of a Zoom hearing or a paper review. For non-academic cases, the process starts with an informational meeting and may proceed to an administrative conference.

What sanctions can Penn State impose for academic misconduct?

College or Campus Academic Integrity Committee can impose a range of sanctions depending on the violation, including academic sanction assigned by the instructor, formal warning, conduct probation, and more serious outcomes including suspension and expulsion. The specific sanction depends on the facts, the student's prior record, and any mitigating factors presented during the proceeding. Sanction-phase advocacy is often as important as the responsibility phase, since even a first finding can carry long-term consequences on transcripts and graduate school applications.

How do I appeal a decision at Penn State, and what is the deadline?

The appeal deadline at Penn State is 5 business days for suspension/expulsion cases. Appeals for administrative sanctions at the suspension/expulsion level must be in writing and state the basis for the appeal. Appeals are limited to the grounds enumerated in the Code. Appeal grounds typically include procedural irregularity that affected the outcome, appropriateness of the action plan or sanction for the violation, new information that was not reasonably available at the time of the conference. Appeals that succeed are usually the ones that ground each argument in the record and the specific policy language, not emotional or general objections.

Do I need a lawyer for a Penn State College or Campus Academic Integrity Committee proceeding?

In most cases, no. Penn State's proceedings follow university policy under Penn State Student Code of Conduct and Academic Integrity Policy, not the legal system. What you need is someone who understands Penn State's specific procedures, the evidence standard, and how sanctions are assessed. An education advocate typically provides stronger, more targeted guidance than a general-practice attorney because the body of law here is university policy, not criminal or civil procedure. AdvocatED brings deep, specialized expertise in these exact processes at a fraction of a law firm's cost.

How does Penn State handle Title IX cases?

Penn State handles Title IX matters separately from general academic misconduct, through the Penn State Affirmative Action Office (Title IX Coordinator). Title IX and sex-based misconduct claims are handled under University policies AD85 (Discrimination and Harassment) and AD91 (Discrimination, Harassment, and Related Inappropriate Conduct), through the Title IX Coordinator's office, separately from the Student Code of Conduct process. Title IX proceedings have their own procedures, evidence standards, and timelines. If you are a respondent in a Title IX case at Penn State, you should not conflate the process with general conduct cases, and you should respond carefully to any notice you receive.

Does Penn State's Dickinson Law and Penn State Law have a separate conduct process?

Yes. Penn State Dickinson Law and Penn State Law at Penn State is handled through Law School honor code process, which is distinct from the general university conduct process. Law students at both Dickinson Law (Carlisle) and Penn State Law (University Park) are subject to separate honor code procedures. This matters because professional school findings carry licensure implications, and the remediation and appeal pathways are different from the undergraduate process.

What are the most common academic misconduct violations at Penn State?

At Penn State, the most frequently cited violations include: plagiarism and unauthorized collaboration; cheating on exams, assignments, or quizzes; fabrication of data or sources; unauthorized ai use on assignments. Knowing which violation is alleged is the foundation of an effective defense, because the response strategy differs substantially based on whether the case involves plagiarism, AI use, exam cheating, collaboration, or a procedural technicality.

What are the key deadlines in a Penn State conduct case?

At Penn State, the most consequential deadlines are: Student response to academic allegation: 5 business days to accept or contest; Committee decision after hearing: not later than 2 weeks after the hearing; Appeal of suspension/expulsion: 5 business days in writing. Missing any of these windows can eliminate procedural options that are otherwise available. If you have received a notice from College or Campus Academic Integrity Committee, document the dates on the notice immediately and calendar every deadline, even ones that do not seem urgent.