Z Designation for Academic Misconduct

A Z designation denotes a student (undergraduate or graduate) was found “in violation” of academic misconduct while enrolled in a course. A Z designation does not affect a student’s grade point average.

If a student is found in-violation of academic integrity and the punitive sanction is either:

• deferred disciplinary suspension for one or more semesters
• disciplinary suspension for one or more semesters
• disciplinary dismissal
• disciplinary expulsion

If a student is found in-violation of academic misconduct twice during their UCF academic career.

• It does not matter what the punitive sanction(s) received in either case of academic misconduct was (documentation only, probation, etc.).
• A Z designation will be placed in association with both courses in which the student was found in-violation of academic integrity.

The Z designation will placed in front of the final grade received in the course where the academic misconduct took place.

• Example : ZA, ZB, ZC, ZD, ZF

A Z designation will be placed as a ZW if a student withdraws from the course prior to the conclusion of the conduct process and was subsequently found in-violation of academic misconduct.

No. The “Z” is a University designation.  It is not associated with grade points or credit hours.

Grade forgiveness is only used to improve a letter grade associated with a course.

Even if a student uses grade forgiveness for a course associated with a Z designation and the grade improves, the Z designation will remain.

Student Conduct and Academic Integrity.

Student Conduct and Academic Integrity will communicate with the Registrar’s Office to have the Z designation placed on a student’s transcript following the conclusion of the Conduct Review Process.

A student can attempt to have a Z designation removed permanently through participating in the CREED Program through Student Conduct and Academic Integrity.

A student must complete all requirements associated with the CREED Program and meet with the Creed Program Review Committee for consideration of removal of the Z designation.

Completion of the CREED Program requirements does not automatically guarantee removal of the Z designation.

More information on the CREED Program can be found at https://scai.sdes.ucf.edu/creed-program/

Fall 2015 with the publication of the 2015-2016 UCF Golden Rule.

Integrity is a tenet of the UCF Creed… “I practice and defend academic and personal honesty.”

A student who cheats in a class and achieves a final letter grade of a “B” is not the same as a student who does not cheat throughout the semester and earns a “B” letter grade.

Many other colleges and universities have adapted similar designations for students who are found in-violation of academic integrity.