Z Designation for Academic Dishonesty

The University Undergraduate Policy and Curriculum Committee of the Faculty Senate has approved the use of the Z designation policy. Adopting the Z designation reaffirms the importance of civic responsibility by faculty and students to ensure that degrees earned at UCF are of high quality and subject to clear and high standards. Student and faculty focus groups consulted indicated strong support for this policy.

Action and Assignment of "Z" Designation: As a result of academic dishonesty in a course, an appropriate grade will be assigned to a student that is preceded by the letter Z. The designation is only for undergraduate students.

Process

  1. Finding and Informing: If a faculty member finds that a student is in violation of the university academic conduct codein a course, the student will be informed by the faculty member.

  2. Effect on Course Grade: The faculty member's syllabus shall state the impact on the grade for the course (may provide a zero for the assignment, resulting in the lowering of the final grade (e.g. ZA, ZB, ZC, ZD), or award an F in the course (ZF)).

  3. Faculty Reporting: The faculty member must report the violation (at least for information only) to Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities using the Incident Reporting Form.

  4. Student Status upon Report: The student remains in the course.

  5. Avoiding Disciplinary Action: If the student has withdrawn from the class to avoid the disciplinary action, s/he may be added back to the roster and assigned a grade, as described in the Golden Rule.

  6. Final Grade Submission: When submitting final grades, the faculty member will inform the Registrar’s Office via the change of Grade form. The Registrar’s Office will record the submitted grade, affix a Z in front, and flag the audit such that the grade cannot be changed until the student completes the required ethics course.

Student Recourse for Removal of Z Grade Designation

Grade Appeal Process: The student may go through the academic grade appeal process (as described in the Golden Rule), and if found not in violation, will have the Z removed. Appeals must be done in the same semester, or the following semester if violation occurs late in the semester or in the summer. See procedures in the Golden Rule.

  • If student found not in violation: The student receives grade earned, and the Z is removed.
  • If found in violation: See below.

First Violation

Grade Forgiveness: If the student has not previously used both grade forgiveness opportunities permitted in a student’s academic lifetime, s/he may repeat the course for forgiveness the next semester it is offered. If the class is satisfactorily completed, the Z designation will be removed from the transcript. Students would have to retake the course (possibly incurring third attempt surcharges and/or excess hours) within the next year of enrollment.

Educational component of the policy:

  • Students must satisfactorily complete a mandatory non-credit academics ethics course within one year of enrollment after the violation and before they repeat the course.

  • A grade change, whether removal of the Z and/or designation of forgiveness, must occur within one academic year following the initial enrollment.

  • Only the faculty member initially assigning the grade, or if s/he is unavailable then the department chair, are able to change the grade.

Second Violation

Second violation Z designations are NOT Removable: All Z designations awarded stay on the transcript (the Z is explained on the reverse side of the transcript).

Educational component of the policy:

  • Students would have to take a mandatory non-credit academic ethics course within one year of violation following enrollment.

  • No grade change will occur.

  • Z designations will be calculated into the GPA in the same way as the grade awarded.

Please note that the Z Designation is separate from the Student Conduct Process, which may include additional sanctions.

icon