Academic Regulations

Honor Code

As a UAF student, you're subject to the Honor Code. The university assumes that the integrity of each student and of the student body as a whole will be upheld. Honesty is a primary responsibility of you and every other UAF student. It is your responsibility to help maintain the integrity of the student community. UAF's Honor Code is as follows:

1. Students will not collaborate on any quizzes, in-class exams, or take-home exams that will contribute to their grade in a course, unless permission is granted by the instructor of the course. Only those materials permitted by the instructor may be used to assist in quizzes and examinations.

2. Students will not represent the work of others as their own. A student will attribute the source of information not original with himself or herself (direct quotes or paraphrases) in compositions, theses and other reports.

3. No work submitted for one course may be submitted for credit in another course without the explicit approval of both instructors.

Violations of the Honor Code will result in a failing grade for the assignment and, ordinarily, for the course in which the violation occurred. Moreover, violations of the Honor Code may result in suspension or expulsion.

Instructors can either deal with suspected violations of the Honor Code themselves or refer such matters to the University Disciplinary and Honor Code Committee (UDHCC). If the instructor believes that a student should be suspended or expelled from the university for an Honor Code violation, the instructor must request a hearing before the UDHCC. The UDHCC shall decide if the Honor Code has been violated. If it has not been violated, the instructor will evaluate the assignment according to his or her normal procedures. If it has been violated, the instructor will determine how this violation affects the student's grade for the course; the UDHCC will recommend to the dean of student services whether the student should be dismissed from UAF.

Student Behavioral Standards

Education at the university is conceived as training for citizenship as well as for personal self-improvement and development. Generally, UAF behavioral regulations are designed to help you work efficiently in courses and live responsibly in the campus environment. They are not designed to ignore your individuality but rather to encourage you to exercise self-discipline and accept your social responsibility. These regulations, in most instances, were developed jointly by staff and students. You should become familiar with campus policies and regulations as published in the student handbook.

Information Release

Access to Records

Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, you are entitled, as a UAF student, to review your records. Except for directory information, no personally identifiable information is disclosed to agencies outside UAF without the written permission of the student. Records are made available for legitimate UAF professional use on a need-to-know basis.

Directory Information

Directory information is disclosed to the public on a routine basis unless you request, in writing, to the university registrar that such information not be released. Forms to request that directory information not be released are available in the Office of the Registrar. You must complete this form each semester. No directory information is released during the first five working days of each semester. After that, information will be released when appropriate, unless you return the form to the Office of the Registrar. The following is considered directory information:

1. Name
2. Address, telephone
3. Home address (permanent)
4. Weight and height of students on athletic teams
5. Date of birth
6. Dates of attendance and current class standing
7. Major field(s) of study
8. Degrees and awards received, including dates
9. Participation in officially recognized activities
10. Chancellor's List and Dean's List recognition each semester

Majors

You may declare a major when you are admitted as an undergraduate student to UAF. If you do not follow a curriculum leading to a specific degree, you will be enrolled with an "undeclared" major. If you are interested in a particular school or college, but have not selected a major, you will be enrolled as a non-major within that division. Non-degree students aren't eligible to declare a major or to be assigned class standing.

If you're an associate degree or certificate student wishing to declare a baccalaureate degree major, you must complete the admission process for bachelor's degree programs. (See Admission Requirements.)

Change of Major

You may change your major during registration by completing a change of major form, available from the Registrar's Office. You need to have the written consent of the department heads concerned and must turn the completed form into the Registrar's Office. A change of major becomes effective only at the beginning of a semester.

Petitions

Deviations from academic requirements and regulations for undergraduate students must be approved by academic petition. If you submit a petition on the basis of a disability, the coordinator of disability services will be consulted. Petition forms are available from the Office of the Registrar. Once the required signatures have been obtained, you'll need to submit all petitions to the Registrar's Office. There are three types of petitions:

1. Core Curriculum Petitions: If your petitions deals with Baccalaureate Core requirements, have it approved by your advisor and the head of the department of the academic area involved. After you turn in the completed petition to the Registrar's Office, it will be forwarded to the chair of the Core Review Committee for final approval.

2. Major or Minor Degree Requirement Petitions: If you wish to waive or substitute courses in your major or minor, you'll need to get the signatures of your advisor and of the department or program head of your major or minor area before turning in the completed petition at the Registrar's Office.

3. Petitions for Other Requirements: If your petition deals with general university and/or specific requirements for your degree or other academic policies, you must obtain approval from your advisor and the dean or director of the college of school in which your major is located. The Registrar's Office will forward the petition to the provost for final approval.

You will be notified by the Registrar's Office when your petition has been approved.

Reserving Courses for Graduate Programs

If you're a senior with only a few remaining requirements for your bachelor's degree, you may take courses at the upper division or graduate level if space is available and have them reserved for an advanced degree. To do this, you must be in your final year of an undergraduate program and must submit a written petition during the first four weeks of the semester identifying which courses being taken that semester are to be reserved for graduate study and are not to be counted toward your bachelor's degree. (Reserving these courses, however, does not assure that they will be accepted by a graduate advisory committee as part of your eventual graduate program.)

Students' Rights and Responsibilities

The university subscribes to principles of due process and fair hearings as specified in the "Joint Statement on Rights and Freedoms of Students." You are encouraged to familiarize yourself with this document, which can be found in the Office of Student Services.

Most students find it relatively easy to adjust to the privileges and responsibilities of university citizenship. For those who find this more difficult, the university attempts to provide needed counsel to help you gain insight and confidence in adjusting to your new environment. In some cases, if you are unable or unwilling to assume your social responsibilities as a citizen in the university community, the institution may terminate your enrollment or take whatever action is deemed necessary and appropriate.