Please note that the grade of C- will satisfy specified minimum requirements of the Gordon Rule courses and the common prerequisites unless otherwise specified in the Catalog.

Grade Point Average
The University uses the quality points listed above. The grade-point average (GPA) is computed by dividing the total number of quality points by the total hours attempted within the USF system. The total quality points are figured by multiplying the number of credits assigned to each course by the quality point value of the grade given. Credit hours for courses with grades of I, IU, M, MU, N, S, U, W, Z, and grades that are preceded by a “E” are subtracted from the total hours attempted before the GPA is calculated.

Multiple attempts on courses designated as repeatable in the course catalog will provide for hours and quality points on each attempt to be applied to the student’s grade point average. “D” and “F” grades established in USF system coursework not designated as repeatable for additional credit will be calculated into the student’s GPA as many times as “D’s” or “F’s” are earned in the same course. If a student earns a grade of “C-“ or higher in a course that may not be repeated for additional credit and eans a “C-“ of higher on a subsequent enrollment the new grade is not computed into the student’s GPA unless the student applies for and is eligible to receive a grade forgiveness.

“I” Grade Policy

An “I” grade indicates incomplete coursework and may be awarded to graduate and undergraduate students. (Undergraduate rules apply to non-degree-seeking students.)  It may be awarded to an undergraduate student only when a small portion of the student’s work is incomplete and only when the student is otherwise earning a passing grade.  Until removed, the “I” is not computed in the GPA for either undergraduate or graduate students.  The time limit for removing the “I” is to be set by the instructor of the course.  For undergraduate students, this time limit may not exceed two academic semesters, whether or not the student is in residence, and/or graduation, whichever comes first. “I” grades not removed by the end of the time limit will be changed to “IF” or “IU,” whichever is appropriate. Whether or not the student is in residence, any change to “IF” grades will be calculated in the cumulative GPA and, if applicable, the student will be placed on appropriate probation or academically dismissed. Students are not required to re-register for courses in which they are only completing previous course requirements to change an “I” grade. However, if a student wants to audit a course for review in order to complete course requirements, full fees must be paid.

“M” Grade Policy

An “M” is automatically assigned as a default grade when the instructor does not submit a grade for a student. (Undergraduate rules also apply to non-degree-seeking students.) Unless a change of grade is submitted, the “M” grade will remain on the transcript and will not be computed in the student’s GPA.

S/U Grade System

     No-option Courses.  Certain courses have been designated as S/U courses.  The “S” and “U” grades are used to indicate the student’s final grade.  These S/U only courses are identified with (S/U only) after the course definition in this catalog.  No grading system option is available to students or faculty in these courses.

Option Courses.  Any undergraduate course may be taken on an S/U basis by a student under the following conditions and restrictions:

1. Required courses in the major may not be taken on an S/U basis unless specifically designated
2. Courses supporting the student’s major and state mandated common prerequisites may not be taken on an S/U basis.
3. Courses to satisfy 6A-10.30 (Gordon Rule) may not be taken on an S/U basis.
4. Courses to satisfy USF St. Petersburg’s B.A. foreign language requirement may not be taken on an S/U basis.
5. All elective courses for the major and all elective courses in the general education requirements, and all other free elective courses may be taken on an S/U basis except where:

a. The certifying college restricts the number of courses that may be taken on an S/U basis in any one or all of the above areas or restricts the total number of S/U courses that can be accepted for all of the above areas.
b. The certifying college specifies that certain courses may not be taken on an S/U basis.
c. The instructor of a course refuses to allow the course to be taken on an S/U basis.

6. Once of the Major Works and Mafor Issues courses , if taken outside the student’s major discipline(s) may be taken S/U credit with instructor consent.

Mechanism for Assigning S/U Grades. The method by which a student receives an “S” or “U” grade in an option course will consist of the following:

1. A written agreement signed by both instructor and student shall be filed with the college offering the S/U course. . The college shall set the deadline (no later than the last day of classes for the term) for the student to decide if he/she wishes to take the course on an S/U basis.
2. The instructor shall assign final letter grades A, B, C, D, F, or I, but will transmit to the Registrar “S” or “U” consistent with the following:

a. Letter grade, A, B, C, or C- shall be equivalent to a letter grade of “S.”
b. Letter grades D or F shall be equivalent to a letter grade of “U.” “S” and “U” grades are not computed in the student’s GPA.

Grade Forgiveness Policy
USF St. Petersburg’s forgiveness policy permits an undergraduate to repeat a course and have the repeated grade computed in his/her GPA in place of the original grade, providing the repeat grade is posted as “D-” or higher (exception - see Honors at Graduation)and is higher than the first grade. Normally, grade forgiveness may only be applied to a specific course that a student chooses to repeat. No course taken on the S/U grade basis may have the grade forgiveness applied. Under unusual circumstances, a different but similar course may be used if the substitute course has been previously approved by the college dean and is on file in the Office of the Registrar.

The grade forgiveness policy cannot apply to any course in which the grade of “FF” has been recorded.

Any undergraduate or non-degree-seeking student who wishes to implement grade forgiveness must:

1. Complete a “Grade Forgiveness Request Form” (available in the Office of the Registrar) for each course to be repeated.

2. Adhere to the following conditions:

a. A limitation of applying grade forgiveness to three USF system courses with no more than one repeat per course.

b. With prior approval of the college dean, a course different from a course on the approved list may be substituted in the following cases:

1) The substitute course is a change in prefix, number, hours, or title, but not a substantive change in content from the original course.
2) The substitute course replaces a course no longer offered by the institution.

c. The repeated course must be taken under the standard grading system (A-F) and the latest grade must be posted as “D-“ or higher (grades of S/U are not permitted) and be higher then the first grade.

d. All grades remain on the transcript. The original course grade will be annotated with “E” to indicate that the course has subsequently been repeated and the original grade is not computed in the GPA.

e. Individual colleges may have further restrictions; therefore, the student should consult with his/her academic advisor.

This policy is applicable to undergraduate and non-degree-seeking students only, and applies to 1000-to-5000-level courses. Once students have been awarded a bachelor’s degree from USF St. Petersburg, they may not repeat a course and be forgiven the original grade, taken prior to graduation.

The policy applies only to courses taken originally at any USFsystem and repeated at a USF system institution.

Good Standing

     USF St. Petersburg students will be considered in good standing if they are currently enrolled or eligible to return to USF St. Petersburg.

Academic Record

     The student’s academic record shall not be changed after the student has graduated.

Academic Probation and Academic Dismissal for Undergraduate Students

     StudentsThe first time an undergraduate student’s USF grade point average (GPA) falls below a cumulative 2.00, the student will be placed on Academic Probation (AP). From the beginning of academic probation, the student must maintain at least a 2.00 GPA each term, and may not totally withdraw from any term without cause.

Any student who withdraws from all classes after the fifth day of classes while on Academic Probation will be academically dismissed.  Once on Academic Probation, academic advising prior to registration is mandatory until the student is removed from probationary status.  The student may remain on Academic Probation indefinitely as long he/she maintains a GPA of 2.00 or greater each term.   If at any time while on Academic Probation, the student’s term GPA falls below a 2.00, the student will be academically dismissed from the University.  Once academically dismissed, a student may only return to USFSP under the University’s Academic Renewal Policies.  If academically dismissed from USFSP, a student may not return to USFSP as a non-degree seeking student.

The determination and notification of probationary status or academic dismissal will be made by the Registrar’s Office on the student’s academic record. A student who attends another college or university following academic dismissal will be classified as a transfer student and readmission will be based on the total record accumulated from all colleges and universities attended.

If a student is academically dismissed or falls below a 2.00 GPA from USFSP and subsequently receives a BA/BS from another four-year institution, that student, when accepted to the University with the post-baccalaureate status, will have his/her academic record cleared. 

Academic Renewal

USF St. Petersburg recognizes that not every student's academic record is flawless and that many times students get off to such a poor start that their future academic opportunities are limited. USF St. Petersburg can offer many of those students a second chance.  The University’s Academic Renewal policy allows students previously dismissed from the university, to renew their pursuit of baccalaureate degrees without the responsibility of having to overcome the entire burden of low grades and low grade- point-averages. To facilitate this opportunity, students who qualify for Academic Renewal may, with the approval of the Academic Regulations Committee, have portions of  their academic record excluded from calculation of their grade point averages (GPAs).  The entire academic record, however, will continue to be reflected on their transcripts even though a selected portion will not be counted in their GPAs. Academic Renewal students are admitted with the same terms of academic probation and dismissal as other undergraduate students. Academic Renewal will only be applied to a student’s academic record one time at USFSP.

Academic Renewal I (ARI) - Students who have been academically dismissed may petition the Academic Regulations Committee to return to the University under ARI.  A student may be readmitted to the University under Academic Renewal I after completing all requirements for the Associate of Arts degree or equivalent (including general education, Gordon Rule and CLAST requirements) at a two- or four- year college. Academic Renewal I students will enter USFSP as juniors and their USF grade point average will be calculated from that point forward. While ARI is best utilized by students who have earned less than 60 credit hours, it is not restricted to those students.  Students with more than 60 credit hours returning to the University under ARI will likely incur excess hours and associated monetary penalty. 

In order to graduate following re-admission under ARI, all degree requirements must be met, and a minimum of 30 credit hours must be taken in residence at USF.  Students who are admitted under ARI may be excluded from admission to limited access programs and will not be considered for University Honors at graduation unless they meet the criteria using all grades earned.

Academic Renewal II (ARII) – ARII is available to students who were academically dismissed and have 60 or more earned credits from USFSP or other institutions of higher education.  These Students may be readmitted to the University under Academic Renewal II if they are able to provide convincing evidence indicating they are likely to be successful.  Generally, such students will have been engaged in successful non-academic activities such as work or military service for at least one year or will have demonstrated recent academic success defined minimally as the completion of at least 12 semester hours with a GPA greater than or equal to 2.00, no grades below C, no course withdrawals, and the CLAS requirement being met.  In order to be considered for readmission under ARII, students must submit a request to the Academic Regulations Committee, who will, make a final decision regarding readmission.

Following readmission under Academic Renewal II, students will have their prior USF GPA set to 2.00.  In order to graduate, students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 and at least 30 USFSP credit hours with grades of C or higher, including a minimum of 15 USF credits earned following readmission under ARII. 

Students re-admitted under ARII may be excluded from admission to limited access programs. Further, students who exercise the Academic Renewal II policy will not be considered for University Honors at graduation unless they meet the criteria using all grades earned.

College Policies For Academic Progress
Colleges may determine and implement standards of academic progress for undergraduate students (majors in the college) in addition to those established by USF St. Petersburg. Students who do not meet the academic standards of progress set by their colleges will be placed on probation and may be disenrolled. The college dean is responsible for implementing standards of academic progress and for notifying students of their probationary or disenrollment status.
Colleges may restrict the course selections and the numbers of hours a student may take that do not apply toward completion of degree requirements. Students who exceed this limit may have part or all of their registration canceled.
Colleges are responsible for publicizing and students are responsible for knowing their college’s policies for academic progress.

Class Standing
A student’s class is determined by the number of credits he/she has earned without relation to his/her GPA.

Change of Major
All undergraduate students desiring to change their major should consult the Academic Advising Center.

Administrative Holds
A student may be placed on administrative hold by failure to meet obligations to the University. When a student is on administrative hold, he/she may not be allowed to register, receive a diploma, or receive a transcript. Settlement of financial accounts must be made at the University Cashier’s Office. Each student placed on administrative hold should determine from the Office of the Registrar which office placed him/her in this status and clear the obligation with that respective office.

Student Information Changes
Notifications regarding changes of address, name, residency, and citizenship should be filed promptly with the Office of the Registrar.

Final Examinations
Examinations in academic subjects are, for most courses, an integral part of the learning process and one part of a procedure for evaluating student performance and determining grades. USF St. Petersburg requires certain standards for the examination process in order to protect the academic integrity of courses and the best interests of both the student and the instructor.

Testing in General: In each academic course, the student is expected to undergo a meaningful testing and evaluation that will reveal the student’s intellectual growth in the subject matter covered or otherwise reflect the achievement of the course objectives.

The instructor has the responsibility of maintaining a fair and impartial testing and examination procedure, has the right to define and structure the testing process, and shall not be restricted as to form, style or content of the examination. It is the policy of USF St. Petersburg that all students facing an examination (of any type) shall have equal advance notice of the form and content of that examination. The University regards the routine use of all or part of the same formal examination for successive academic terms as unsound policy except when used with adequate safeguards such as a random selection of questions from a large pool.

Comprehensive Final Examinations: The last 6 days of the Fall and Spring semesters shall be set aside for final examinations, and any comprehensive final examination must be given during this designated period. If a segment examination is given in lieu of a comprehensive examination, the segment examination must be given in the period designated during final examination week. The period of two hours shall be allotted for each final examination. If a student has a direct conflict of scheduled examinations or has three or more examinations scheduled on the same day, the student may petition the appropriate instructor to reschedule one of the student’s examinations. The final examination schedule shall be published in the same manner and place as the Schedule of Classes.

Regional Chancellor's Scholar List
Full-time USFSP undergraduate students who demonstrate superior academic achievement during one semester will be honored on a “Regional Chancellor's Scholar List.” To be eligible for the Regional Chancellor's Scholar List, a student must complete at least 12 USF credit hours of graded (A-F) courses, receive no incomplete grades during the semester and earn a 4.0 semester GPA .

Dean’s List
Full-time USFSP undergraduate students who demonstrate superior academic achievement during one semester will be honored on a “Dean’s List.” To be eligible for the Dean’s List, a student must complete at least 12 USF credit hours of graded (A-F) courses, receive no incomplete grades, and earn at least a 3.75 semester GPA.

Academic Regulations Committee
The St. Petersburg Academic Regulations Committee (PARC) meets regularly to review petitions submitted by undergraduate students to waive University academic regulations. Students must petition and secure approval of the committee to return to the University after having been academically dismissed or to waive academic deadlines.
Effective Fall 1998, the University has implemented a statute of limitations on student petitions for retroactive adds, drops, withdrawals, and registration. A student will be limited to two calendar years (six academic semesters/terms) for such appeals whether the student is in attendance or not.
The committee normally meets once a week on Thursday. To petition the committee, a student must secure the appropriate form from the Records and Registration website http://www.stpt.usf.edu/records/forms.htm and consult with the ARC representative from his/her college advising unit prior to submitting the petition form. Completed forms should be returned to the Academic Advising Center, DAV 134, no later than the preceding Friday, to be reviewed at the next week’s meeting. Students will receive notification of the committee’s action the following week.

Student Academic Grievance Procedures

I. Introduction (Purpose and Intent)
The purpose of these procedures is to provide all undergraduate and graduate students taking courses within the University of South Florida system an opportunity for objective review of facts and events pertinent to the cause of the academic grievance. Such review will be accomplished in a collegial, non-judicial atmosphere rather than an adversarial one, and shall allow the parties involved to participate. All parties will be expected to act in a professional and civil manner.

The procedures that follow are designed to ensure objective and fair treatment of both students and instructors. These guidelines are meant to govern all colleges, however, as individual USF institutions and the appropriate colleges may have different levels of authority or titles, each student must obtain the specific designations used by each entity for levels of authority and titles in this process.
In the case of grade appeals, the University reserves the right to change a student’s grade if it is determined at the conclusion of the grievance process that the grade given was incorrect. In such circumstances, the Dean or Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs may file an administrative grade change. The term “incorrect” means the assigned grade was based on something other than performance in the course, or that the assignment of the grade was not consistent with the criteria for awarding of grades as described in the course syllabus or other materials distributed to the student. In the case of all other academic grievances, the University reserves the right to determine the final outcome based on the procedures detailed herein.
In the case of Academic Integrity (USF System Regulation 3.027) violations, these Student Academic Grievance Procedures apply and include an Academic Integrity Review Process at the College Level as described in section III below.

II. Terms and Guidelines
An “academic grievance” is a claim that a specific academic decision or action that affects that student’s academic record or status has violated published policies and procedures, or has been applied to the grievant in a manner different from that used for other students. Grievances may relate to such decisions as the assignment of a grade seen by the student as incorrect or the dismissal or failure of a student for his or her action(s). Academic grievances will not deal with general student complaints.
“Instructor” shall mean any classroom instructor, thesis/dissertation/directed study supervisor, committee member or chair, or counselor/advisor who interacts with the student in an academic environment.

“Department Chair/Director” shall mean the academic head of a college department or the director of a program—or in all cases a “Department’s designee” appointed to handle academic grievances.

“Dean” shall mean a College Dean or the equivalent as indicated—or in all cases a “Dean’s designee” appointed to handle academic grievances for the unit.

“Time” shall mean “academic time,” that is, periods when University classes are in session. The person vested with authority at the appropriate level may extend any of the time periods contained herein for good cause. Any extensions must be communicated in writing to all parties. For the purposes of this policy, each step shall be afforded three (3) weeks as a standard time limit. When a department considers a grievance according to published departmental procedures approved by the College Dean and Regional Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, as pertinent, the time line specified in this academic unit’s procedures will govern the process and no additional notice of time extension is needed.

“Written communication” shall mean communication by hard copy to the recipient’s address of record.

The “burden of proof” shall be upon the student such that the student challenging the decision, action or grade assigned has the burden of supplying evidence that proves that the instructor’s decision was incorrect, in all cases except alleged violations of academic integrity. In cases where the issue is academic integrity, the burden of proof shall be upon the instructor. In considering grievances, decisions will be based on the preponderance of the evidence.

Neither party shall be entitled to bring “legal representation” to any actual grievance proceeding as this is an internal review of an academic decision.

As some Colleges may use different titles, the next level that applies to that College shall be substituted.

III. Statement of Policy

A. Resolution at the Department Level

1. The student shall first make a reasonable effort to resolve his or her grievance with the instructor concerned, with the date of the incident triggering the start of the process (i.e. the issuance of a grade; the receipt of an assignment) and the instructor shall accommodate a reasonable request to discuss and attempt to resolve this issue.

2. If the situation cannot be resolved or the instructor is not available, the student shall file a notification letter within three weeks of the triggering incident to the department Chairperson/Director. This shall be a concise written statement of particulars and must include information pertaining to how, in the student’s opinion, University policies or procedures were violated. The department Chairperson/Director shall provide a copy of this statement to the instructor.

3. The department Chairperson/Director shall discuss the statement jointly or individually with the student and the instructor to see if the grievance can be resolved. If the department maintains its own grievance procedure,* it should be applied at this point. If the grievance can be resolved, the Chairperson/Director shall provide a statement to that effect to the student and the instructor with a copy to the College Dean.

4. If the grievance cannot be resolved, the department Chair/Director shall notify both the student and the instructor, informing the student of his/her right to file a written request within three weeks to advance the grievance to the College Level. The instructor may file a written response to the grievance petition. Upon receipt of the student’s request to move the process to the College Level and the instructor’s response to the grievance (if provided), the Chairperson/Director shall immediately notify the College Dean of the grievance, providing copies of the student’s initiating grievance statement, any instructor’s written response to the grievance, and the written request from the student to have the process advanced to the College Level (which may include additional responsive or final statements by the student). Should the student not file a written request to move the grievance to the College Level within the prescribed time, the grievance will end.
If the grievance concerns the Chairperson/Director or other officials of the department, the student has a right to bypass the departmental process and proceed directly to the College Level.

B. Resolution at the College Level

1. Upon receipt of the grievance, the College Dean shall either determine that the matter is not an academic grievance and dismiss it or within three weeks shall establish an Academic Grievance Committee. The membership of the Committee shall be constituted as follows:

a. Three (3) faculty members and two (2) students (undergraduate or graduate as appropriate to the case) shall be selected from the college by the Dean.

b. Wherever practical, the Committee shall not include members of the faculty or students of the department directly involved with the grievance, or faculty or students of the student’s major department. The student or faculty may address the committee. However, if requested by the committee; faculty or students from the department involved with the grievance or from the student’s major department may provide expert or other relevant testimony in the proceedings.

2. The Committee will operate in the following manner:

a. The Committee Chairperson will be appointed by the College Dean from among the three faculty members appointed to the Committee.

b. The Committee Chairperson shall be responsible for scheduling meetings, overseeing the deliberations of the committee and ensuring that full and fair consideration is provided to all parties. The Committee Chairperson shall vote on committee decisions only when required to break a tie.

c. In Committee reviews involving Academic Integrity, the following Academic Integrity Review Process shall be followed:

1) The Committee Chairperson shall notify the student and instructor of the date and time of the meeting.

2) The student and instructor may submit a list of questions to the Committee Chairperson to be answered by the student and instructor. If submitted, the questions will be disseminated by the Committee Chairperson and the Committee Chairperson will ensure that the questions are answered in writing and submitted for review by the Committee, student, and instructor before the initial meeting.

3) The student or instructor may request to attend a Committee meeting as designated by the Chairperson to present any final statement to the Committee and either may be present during the other’s final statement. Neither the student nor instructor may be present during the deliberations.
The student or instructor may bring an advisor (not to act as legal counsel or to participate in the meetings) to the meeting.

4) Students shall be permitted to remain in the course or program during the Academic Integrity Review Process. However, if the student is in a clinical or internship setting, the student may be removed from such setting until the issue of Academic Integrity is resolved. In such cases, the program will attempt to identify an alternative educational option to the clinical or internship to enable the student to continue progressing in the program.

d. All deliberations shall be in private and held confidential by all members of the Committee. The recommendation of the Committee shall be based on the factual evidence presented to it.

e. Within three weeks of the Committee appointment, the Committee Chairperson shall deliver in writing to the student, instructor, department Chairperson/Director or Program Director, and College Dean a report of the findings and a recommended resolution.

f. Within three weeks of receipt of the Committee recommendation, the College Dean shall provide a decision in writing to all parties.

g. The student or the instructor may appeal the decision of the College Dean to the University Level only if the decision of the College Dean is contrary to the recommendation of the Committee or if there is a procedural violation of these Student Academic Grievance Procedures. Such an appeal must be made in writing to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs within three weeks of receipt of the decision from the College Dean. Otherwise, the College Dean’s decision is final and not subject to further appeal within the University.

C. Resolution at the University Level

The Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at USF St. Petersburg may delegate authority to a designated academic administrator at USF St. Petersburg to hear the appeal at the University level.

1. The student or the instructor may appeal at the University Level within three weeks of the receipt of a decision made at the College Level, when (1) the decision by a College Dean is contrary to the recommendation of a college Grievance Committee, or (2) there is cause to think a procedural violation of these University Academic Grievance Procedures has been made. Within three weeks of receipt of the appeal to the decision, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in consultation with the Faculty Senate and the Student Senate, shall appoint an Appeals Committee consisting of three faculty members drawn from the University Undergraduate Council or Graduate Council (as appropriate), and two students, undergraduate or graduate (as appropriate).

2. The structure, functions and operating procedures of the Appeals Committee will be the same as those of the College Committee (i.e. chaired by one of the appointed faculty members appointed by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs who will not vote except in the case of a tie, having no representation from either party’s respective departments, developing a recommendation to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

3. Within three weeks of the appointment, the Committee Chairperson shall deliver in writing to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs a report of the findings of the Committee and a recommended resolution.

4. Within three weeks of receipt of the Committee recommendation, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs shall provide a decision in writing to all parties.

5. If the Vice Chancellor’s decision is that a grade change is merited, the Vice Chancellor shall initiate the grade change on the authority of the Provost and so inform all parties. In all academic grievance appeals, the Vice Chancellor’s decision is final and not subject to further appeal within the University.

These procedures shall take effect commencing (February 10, 2009) and shall supersede all other academic grievance procedures currently in effect.

* Departments may develop their own formal procedures for considering grievances. Such procedures must be considered and approved by the College Dean and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and published on the Department’s web site. When such procedures exist, the Department’s examination of the grievance will unfold as specified in the procedures. If the Departmental process upholds the student’s grievance, the Department Chair will work with the College, the student and the instructor to remedy the situation. If the Department does not uphold the grievance, the Chair will report the fact to the Dean. The student may, in such cases, request the College Level review as outlined in these university procedures.

 

Procedures for Alleged Academic Dishonesty or Disruption of Academic Process

     Alleged violations of academic integrity or alleged disruptions of academic process will be handled initially by the instructor, who will discuss the incident with the student. It must be noted that the Faculty Senate considers the traditional relationship between student and faculty member as the primary means of settling disputes that may arise. If the instructor observes the alleged dishonesty occurring during an examination, he/she should, with discretion, notify the student of the fact before the student leaves the examination. In all cases, the instructor must attempt to schedule a meeting with the student to discuss the alleged dishonesty or disruptions.

     After the discussion, if the student and instructor have reached a mutual agreement as to the solution, the instructor shall file a statement with the College Dean, responsible for the course outlining the facts of the incident and the agreed-upon solution signed by both the instructor and student. A copy of this statement shall be given to the student. If no solution is reached, the matter should be referred to the College Dean, for attempt at resolution.

 

Integrity of students

(1) Fundamental principles:

Academic integrity is the foundation of the University of South Florida system’s (University/USF) commitment to the academic honesty and personal integrity of its University community. Academic integrity is grounded in certain fundamental values, which include honesty, respect and fairness. Broadly defined, academic honesty is the completion of all academic endeavors and claims of scholarly knowledge as representative of one’s own efforts. Knowledge and maintenance of the academic standards of honesty and integrity as set forth by the University are the responsibility of the entire academic community, including the instructional faculty, staff and students.

(2) General Policies:

The following policies and procedures apply to all students, instructional faculty and staff who participate in administration of academic classes, programs and research at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. This regulation asserts fairness in that it requires notice to any student accused of a violation of academic integrity and provides a directive for discussion between the instructor and student to seek a fair and equitable resolution. If a fair resolution is not accomplished in this discussion, this regulation allows the student continued rights of due process under the academic grievance procedures based upon the preponderance of the evidence. The policies described below are the only policies and procedures that govern violations of academic integrity at the University and supersede any previous policies or regulations.

(3) Violations of Academic Integrity: Undergraduate and Graduate

Behaviors that violate academic integrity are listed below and are not intended to be all inclusive.

(a) Cheating

Definition: Cheating is using or attempting to use materials, information, notes, study aids, or other assistance in any type of examination or evaluation which have not been authorized by the instructor.

Clarification:

1. Students completing any type of examination or evaluation are prohibited from looking at or transmitting materials to another student (including electronic reproductions and transmissions) and from using external aids of any sort (e.g. books, notes, calculators, photographic images or conversation with others) unless the instructor has indicated specifically in advance that this will be allowed.

2. Students may not take examinations or evaluations in the place of other persons. Students may not allow other persons to take examinations or evaluations in their places.

3. Students may not acquire unauthorized information about an examination or evaluation and may not use any such information improperly acquired by others.

4. Instructors, programs and departments may establish, with the approval of the colleges, additional rules for exam environments and behavior. Such rules must be announced in advance in a course syllabus or other advance written notice to students.

(b) Plagiarism

Definition: Plagiarism is intentionally or carelessly presenting the work of another as one’s own. It includes submitting an assignment purporting to be the student’s original work which has wholly or in part been created by another person. It also includes the presentation of the work, ideas, representations, or words of another person without customary and proper acknowledgement of sources. Students must consult with their instructors for clarification in any situation in which the need for documentation is an issue, and will have plagiarized in any situation in which their work is not properly documented.

Clarification:

1. Every direct quotation must be identified by quotation marks or appropriate indentation and must be properly acknowledged by parenthetical citation in the text or in a footnote or endnote.

2. When material from another source is paraphrased or summarized in whole or in part in one’s own words, that source must be acknowledged in a footnote or endnote, or by parenthetical citation in the text.

3. Information gained in reading or research that is not common professional knowledge must be acknowledged in a parenthetical citation in the text or in a footnote or endnote.

4. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, the use of papers, reports, projects, and other such materials prepared by someone else.

(c) Fabrication, Forgery and Obstruction

Definitions:

Fabrication is the use of invented, counterfeited, altered or forged information in assignments of any type including those activities done in conjunction with academic courses that require students to be involved in out-of-classroom experiences.

Forgery is the imitating or counterfeiting of images, documents, signatures, and the like.

Obstruction is any behavior that limits the academic opportunities of other students by improperly impeding their work or their access to educational resources.

Clarification:

1. Fabricated or forged information may not be used in any laboratory experiment, report of research, or academic exercise. Invention for artistic purposes is legitimate under circumstances explicitly authorized by an instructor.

2. Students may not furnish to instructors fabricated or forged explanations of absences or of other aspects of their performance and behavior.

3. Students may not furnish, or attempt to furnish, fabricated, forged or misleading information to University officials on University records, or on records of agencies in which students are fulfilling academic assignments.

4. Students may not steal, change, or destroy another student’s work. Students may not impede the work of others by the theft, defacement, mutilation or obstruction of resources so as to deprive others of their use.

5. Obstruction does not include the content of statements or arguments that are germane to a class or other educational activity.

(d) Multiple Submissions

Definition: Multiple submissions are the submissions of the same or substantially the same work for credit in two or more courses. Multiple submissions shall include the use of any prior academic effort previously submitted for academic credit at this or a different institution. Multiple submissions shall not include those situations where the prior written approval by the instructor in the current course is given to the student to use a prior academic work or endeavor.

Clarification:

1. Students may not normally submit any academic assignment, work, or endeavor in more than one course for academic credit of any sort. This will apply to submissions of the same or substantially the same work in the same semester or in different semesters.

2. Students may not normally submit the same or substantially the same work in two different classes for academic credit even if the work is being graded on different bases in the separate courses (e.g. graded for research effort and content versus grammar and spelling).

3. Students may resubmit a prior academic endeavor if there is substantial new work, research, or other appropriate additional effort. The student shall disclose the use of the prior work to the instructor and receive the instructor’s permission to use it PRIOR to the submission of the current endeavor.

4. Students may submit the same or substantially the same work in two or more courses with the prior written permission of all faculty involved. Instructors will specify the expected academic effort applicable to their courses and the overall endeavor shall reflect the same or additional academic effort as if separate assignments were submitted in each course. Failure by the student to obtain the written permission of each instructor shall be considered a multiple submission.

(e) Complicity

Definition: Complicity is assisting or attempting to assist another person in any act of academic dishonesty.

Clarification:

1. Students may not allow other students to copy from their papers during any type of examination.

2. Students may not assist other students in acts of academic dishonesty by providing material of any kind that one may have reason to believe will be misrepresented to an instructor or other University official.

3. Students may not provide substantive information about test questions or the material to be tested before a scheduled examination unless they have been specifically authorized to do so by the course instructor. This does not apply to examinations that have been administered and returned to students in previous semesters.

(f) Misconduct in Research and Creative Endeavors

Definition: Misconduct in research is serious deviation from the accepted professional practices within a discipline or from the policies of the University in carrying out, reporting, or exhibiting the results of research or in publishing, exhibiting, or performing creative endeavors. It includes the fabrication or falsification of data, plagiarism, and scientific or creative misrepresentation. It does not include honest error or honest disagreement about the interpretation of data.

Clarification:

1. Students may not invent or counterfeit information.

2. Students may not report results dishonestly, whether by altering data, by improperly revising data, by selective reporting or analysis of data, or by being grossly negligent in the collecting or analysis of data.

3. Students may not represent another person’s ideas, writing or data as their own.

4. Students may not appropriate or release the ideas or data of others when such data have been shared in the expectation of confidentiality.

5. Students may not publish, exhibit, or perform work in circumstances that will mislead others. They may not misrepresent the nature of the material or its originality, and they may not add or delete the names of authors without permission.

6. Students must adhere to all federal, state, municipal, and University regulations or policies for the protection of human and other animal subjects.

7. Students may not conceal or otherwise fail to report any misconduct involving research, professional conduct, or artistic performance of which they have knowledge.

8. Students must abide by the University’s policies on Misconduct in Research where applicable, which can be found in the University’s Policies and Procedures Manual at the General Counsel’s website.

(g) Computer Misuse

Definition: Misuse of computers includes unethical, or illegal use of the computers of any person, institution or agency in which students are performing part of their academic program.

Clarification:

1. Students may not use the University computer system in support of any act of plagiarism.

2. Students may not monitor or tamper with another person’s electronic communications.

(h) Misuse of Intellectual Property

Definition: Misuse of intellectual property is the illegal use of copyright materials, trademarks, trade secrets or intellectual properties.

Clarification:

Students may not violate state or federal laws concerning the fair use of copies.

(4) Violations and Sanctions for Undergraduate Students:1

Violations for undergraduate students at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg are classified into four levels according to the nature of the infraction. For each level of violation a corresponding set of sanctions is recommended, however, specific academic programs may include additional and different sanctions. These sanctions are intended as general guidelines for the academic community with examples cited below for each level of violation. These examples are not to be considered all-inclusive.

It is recommended that the instructor forward a concise written statement describing the academic dishonesty of an incident with its particulars to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for violations in Levels Two through Four. These records will be maintained until graduation or until they are of no further administrative value. This will enable better handling of multiple violations.

(a) Level One Violations

Level One violations may occur because of inexperience or lack of knowledge of principles of academic integrity on the part of persons committing the violation. These violations address incidents when intent is questionable and are likely to involve a small fraction of the total course work, are not extensive, and/or occur on a minor assignment. The following are examples:

1. Working with another student on a laboratory or other homework assignment when such work is prohibited.

2. Failure to footnote or give proper acknowledgment in an extremely limited section of an assignment.

Recommended sanctions for Level One violations are listed below:

·  Reduction or no credit given for the original assignment.

· An assigned paper or research project on a relevant topic.

· A make-up assignment at a more difficult level than the original assignment.

· Required attendance in a non-credit workshop or seminar on ethics or related subjects.

(b) Level Two Violations

Level Two violations are characterized by dishonesty of a more serious character or that which affects a more significant aspect or portion of the course work. The following are examples:

1.Quoting directly or paraphrasing, to a moderate extent, without acknowledging the source.
2.  Submitting the same work or major portions thereof to satisfy the requirements of more than one course without permission from the instructor.
3. Using data or interpretative material for a laboratory report without acknowledging the sources or the collaborators. All contributors to preparation of data and/or to writing the report must be named.
4. Receiving assistance from others, such as research, statistical, computer programming, or field data collection help that constitutes an essential element in the undertaking without acknowledging such assistance in a paper, examination or project.

Recommended sanctions for Level Two violations are listed below:

·Failing grade for the assignment involved with the grade in the course determined in the normal manner.

·Failing grade for the course, which may be an “F” or “FF” on the internal transcript.

(c) Level Three Violations

Level Three violations are those that go beyond Level One or Two violations and that affect a major or essential portion of work done to meet course requirements, or involve premeditation, or are preceded by one or more violations at Levels One and/or Two. Examples include:

1.Copying on examinations.

2.Plagiarizing major portions of a written assignment.

3.Acting to facilitate copying during an exam.

4.Using prohibited materials, e.g. books, notes, or calculators during an examination.

5.Collaborating before an exam to develop methods of exchanging information and implementation thereof.

6.Altering examinations for the purposes of regrading.

7.Acquiring or distributing an examination from unauthorized sources prior to the examination.

8.Presenting the work of another as one's own.

9. Using purchased term paper or other materials.

10. Removing posted or reserved material, or preventing other students from having access to it.

11.Fabricating data by inventing or deliberately altering material (this includes citing "sources" that are not, in fact, sources.

12. Using unethical or improper means of acquiring data.

Recommended sanctions for Level Three violations are listed below:

· Failing grade for the course with a designation of “FF” on student’s internal transcript.

· Possible suspension from the University for one semester.

(d) Level Four Violations

Level Four violations represent the most serious breaches of intellectual honesty.

Examples of Level Four violations include:

1. All academic infractions committed after return from suspension for a previous academic honesty violation.
2. Infractions of academic honesty in ways similar to criminal activity (such as forging a grade form, stealing an examination from a professor or from a University office; buying an examination; or falsifying a transcript to secure entry into the University or change the record of work done at the University) .

3.  Having a substitute take an examination or taking an examination for someone else.

4. Fabrication of evidence, falsification of data, quoting directly or paraphrasing without acknowledging the source, and/or presenting the ideas of another as one's own in a senior thesis, within a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation, in scholarly articles submitted to refereed journals, or in other work represented as one's own as a graduate student.

5.Sabotaging another student's work through actions designed to prevent the student from successfully completing an assignment.
6.Willful violation of a canon of the ethical code of the profession for which a student is preparing.

Recommended sanctions for Level Four violations are listed below:

· The typical sanction for all Level Four violations is permanent academic dismissal from the University with the designation of "Dismissed for Academic Dishonesty" to be placed permanently on a student's external transcript.

(5) Additional Undergraduate Guidelines for Academic Dishonesty:

(a) Grade Assignment

1. An “FF” grade assigned to indicate academic dishonesty is reflected only on internal records and prevents the student from repeating the course using the Grade Forgiveness Policy. Students with any “FF” grade on record will not be eligible for honors at graduation.

2. If a student who has been accused of academic dishonesty drops the course, the student’s registration in the course will be reinstated until the issue is resolved.

3. Any assigned grade may be changed to an “FF”, “F”, or other grade depending on the instructor’s decision or the ultimate resolution of an academic grievance procedure. This includes any instance of academic dishonesty that is not detected by the instructor until after the student has dropped or completed the course.

4. Notification to the student of the “FF” grade and the option of appeal concerning the alleged academic dishonesty shall be the responsibility of the instructor and/or department chair (See Student Academic Grievance Procedures).

5. Notice that a student has been dismissed for reasons of academic dishonesty will be reflected on the student’s transcript with the formal notation: Dismissed for Academic Dishonesty.

6. More serious violations of academic integrity may be referred to the Office of Students Rights and Responsibilities as a student conduct violation.

(b) Multiple Violations:

1. For the first “FF” recorded in an undergraduate student’s USF academic record, the student will receive a letter from the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs informing him or her of being placed on “Academic Dishonesty Warning” for the remainder of enrollment at USF and of appeal rights for the “FF” grade. 2. For the second “FF” recorded, the undergraduate student will be suspended for one full semester and readmitted only after writing a clear statement indicating remorse, understanding of the seriousness of the offense, and understanding of the importance of integrity in all areas, including academic work. A letter informing him or her of this action and appeal rights will be sent from the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

3. For the third “FF” recorded, the undergraduate student will be permanently dismissed from the University for violations of academic integrity and with notice of that dismissal as a part of the formal record and transcript. 4. The maximum penalty for receipt of any “FF” grade may be permanent dismissal from the University for violations of academic integrity and with a notice of that dismissal as a part of the student’s formal record and transcript.

(6) Violations and Sanctions for Graduate Students:2

The Graduate School holds academic integrity in the highest regard. Graduate students are responsible for being aware of and complying with University Regulations and Policies and must conduct themselves accordingly. Sanctions for Academic Dishonesty will depend on the seriousness of the offense and may range from the receipt of:

·An “F” or “Zero” grade on the subject paper, lab report, etc.

·An “F” in the course or activity in which credit may be earned.

·An “FF” in the course (leading to expulsion from the University).

·Academic Dismissal for any violations of academic dishonesty policies or regulations.

·Possible revocation of the degree or Graduate Certificate following a thorough investigation.

Graduate students who are assigned an “FF” grade will be academically dismissed from the University and will not be eligible to apply to any graduate program at USF. Procedures regarding Academic Dishonesty and Academic Dismissal may be found on the Graduate School website.

(7) Additional Graduate Guidelines for Academic Dishonesty:

1. If a graduate student who has been accused of academic dishonesty drops the course, the student’s registration in the course will be reinstated until the issue is resolved.

2. Any assigned grade may be changed to an “FF”, “F”, or other grade depending on the instructor’s decision or the ultimate resolution of an academic grievance procedure. This includes any instance of academic dishonesty that is not detected until after the student has dropped or completed the course.

3. Notification to the graduate student of the “FF” grade and the option of appeal concerning the alleged academic dishonesty and academic dismissal remains with the instructor and/or department chair (See Student Academic Grievance Procedures).

4. A graduate student who has been dismissed for reasons of academic dishonesty will have this reflected on the student’s transcript with the formal notation: Dismissed for Academic Dishonesty.

5. More serious violations of academic integrity may be referred to the Office of Students Rights and Responsibilities as a student conduct violation.

(8) Appeals: Undergraduate and Graduate

Once the initial violation of the academic integrity regulation has been documented and fairly discussed by the student and the instructor, the student may appeal the instructor’s decision that a violation has occurred. At that point the student will follow the procedures outlined in the University of South Florida’s student Academic Grievance Procedure Policy. For academic integrity violations that are reviewed at the department and college levels, the respective committees will consider all evidence available to determine if the instructor’s decision was correct. The student’s ability to proceed within an academic program while an Academic Grievance is in process will be determined by the individual academic program chair/director.

1 These policies apply to Undergraduate Students, even if taking graduate coursework. Graduate students are students admitted to a graduate degree program or graduate certificate, and/or non-degree seeking students taking graduate coursework (such students should refer to Section IV Violations and Sanctions for Graduate Students)

2 These policies apply to Graduate Students (students admitted to a graduate degree program or graduate certificate, and/or non-degree seeking students taking graduate coursework). Undergraduate students should refer to Section III Violations and Sanctions for Undergraduate Students)

Authority: Art. IX, Sec. 7, Fla. Constitution and Resolutions issued by the FL Board of Governors History–New 12-11-08.

Disruption of Academic Process

(1) Disruptive students in the academic setting hinder the educational process.  Although disruptive student conduct is already prohibited by the University of South Florida system (University/USF) Student Code of Conduct, the purpose of this regulation is to clarify what constitutes disruptive behavior in the academic setting; what actions faculty and relevant academic officers may take in response to disruptive conduct; and the authority of the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (or designated office handling conduct issues in Student Affairs) to initiate separate disciplinary proceedings against students for disruptive conduct.

(2) Disruption of the academic process is defined as the act, words, or general conduct of a student in a classroom or other academic environment which in the reasonable estimation of the instructor:

(a) Directs attention away from the academic matters at hand, such as noisy distractions, persistent, disrespectful or abusive interruption of lecture, exam, academic discussion, or general University operations, or

(b) Presents a danger to the health, safety or well-being of self or other persons. 

References to classroom or academic area include all academic settings (live or online, and including field experiences).  References to Instructor include the course instructor, USF St. Petersburg faculty, administrators, and staff.  

Misconduct occurring in other campus areas on University premises or which adversely affects the University community and/or the pursuit of its mission is already prohibited by the Student Code of Conduct and will be handled by those procedures.

Academic discussion that includes disagreement with the course instructor during times when the instructor permits discussion is not in itself disruptive behavior and is not prohibited.

Some disruptive students may have emotional or mental health disorders. Although such students may be considered disabled and are protected under the Rehabilitation Act/ADA, they are held to the same standards of conduct as any student.

The following applies to all campuses of the University of South Florida system; however, non-substantive procedural modifications to reflect the particular circumstances of each separately accredited USF System institution are permitted.  Information concerning these procedures is available through the Student Affairs Office.

(3) Procedures for Handling Disruption of Academic Process.

(a) General Guidelines for Instructor:

1. If a student is disruptive, the Instructor may ask the student to stop the disruptive behavior and/or warn the student that such disruptive behavior can result in academic and/or disciplinary action. Alleged disruptions of the academic process will be handled initially by the Instructor, who will discuss the incident with the student whenever possible. It must be noted that the Faculty Senate considers the traditional relationship between student and instructor as the primary means of settling disputes that may arise.

2. The Instructor is authorized to ask a student to leave the classroom or academic area and desist from the disruptive behavior if the Instructor deems it necessary.  If the Instructor does this, s/he will send an Academic Disruption Incident Report within 48 hours simultaneously to:

a. The department chair,
b. The Assistant/Associate Dean of the College (as determined by the College),
c. The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (OSRR) or the separately accredited institution’s/regional campus’ designated office in Student Affairs, and
d. The student. 

If the situation is deemed an emergency or circumstances require more immediate action, the instructor should notify the appropriate law enforcement agency, OSRR and other authorities as soon as possible.  Any filed Incident Report can, and should, be updated if new information pertinent to the situation is obtained.

3. An Instructor may also further exclude the student from the classroom or other academic area pending resolution of the matter.  If the Instructor recommends exclusion (temporary or permanent) from the classroom pending resolution, the student must be informed of the exclusion before the next scheduled class (either by phone, email or in person).  That notice must:

a. Inform the student of the exclusion,
b. Inform the student of his/her right to request an expedited review of the exclusion within two days to the Chair of the Department.  

If such academic exclusion occurs, and if the student requests a review, the Chair of the Department shall review the exclusion within two days of the date the student requests the review and decide if the student can return to the specific class and/or any academic setting.  This decision may be appealed in writing by the student within two (2) days to the Dean of the college or the institutional designee (as appropriate) for review and decision within two days.  Any decision rendered at that point must be in writing and will serve as the final and binding academic decision of the University.

Each academic decision or sanction must be communicated to the Office of Students Rights and Responsibilities or the separately accredited institution’s/regional campus’ designated office as soon as possible.

(b) Possible Academic Sanctions and Grading Guidelines:
Authority of an Instructor and the appropriate Chair or Assistant/Associate Dean may result in any of the following sanctions:

·      Warning to the student.
·      Voluntary withdrawal by the student from the class(es).
·      Temporary exclusion and/or permanent dismissal from the instructor’s classroom or academic area, program, or college, pending an expedited appeal.
·      Academic sanction, including assignment of a final grade. -- If the final determination is a dismissal from class, the grade assigned for the class will depend on the student’s status at the time of dismissal.  If the student had a passing grade in the class at the time of dismissal, a grade of “W” will be assigned for the course.  If the student had a failing grade in the class at the time of dismissal, a grade of “F” will be assigned for the course.  These grades will become a part of the student’s permanent record.  In addition, if the academic disruption results in dismissal from more than the classroom or academic area of the incident, this grading policy may be applied in all classes affected.

(c) Documentation and Academic Disruption Incident Report:
Instructors should be aware that notes of the dates, times, witnesses and details of the incidents of disruption and the impact of the disruption on those present may be important in any future proceedings which may be necessary.  Referrals to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities or designated office in Student Affairs require written documentation containing factual and descriptive information.  The student is entitled to see this documentation.

The Academic Disruption Incident Report must be submitted by hardcopy (not email) simultaneously within 48 hours to:
1. The department chair,
2. The Assistant/Associate Dean of the College (as determined by the College),
3. The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities or the separately accredited institution’s regional campus’ designated office in Student Affairs, and
4. The student.

The form can be downloaded from the designated website in Student Affairs or completed by way of memorandum containing the following information:

·      Date of report
·      Student’s name
·      USF Student ID number
·      Instructor’s name
·      Instructor’s phone number
·      Instructor’s e-mail
·      Title of course, course number and section
·      Date/time/location of incident
·      Detailed summary of the incident, including a description of the
disruptive behavior
·      Witnesses
·      Action, if any, taken by the instructor (e.g., student warned, asked to leave the class, etc.)
·      Recommended course of action and reasons for this recommendation
·      Instructor’s signature

(d) Possible Disciplinary Sanctions for Conduct by the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities:
Upon receipt of the Academic Disruption Incident Report or other academic referral for disruptive conduct, the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities or designated office in Student Affairs may initiate the disciplinary process resulting in the imposition of any of the following sanctions in addition to any academic sanctions imposed (in section b):

·      Educational sanctions to include but not limited to educational programs/classes and written assignment
·      Disciplinary probation
·      Provisional suspension
·      Suspension
·      Restriction from certain or all class(es), program, college, residence hall, or any part or all of USF System institutions.
·      Expulsion

When an incident is being reviewed by OSRR or designated office in Student Affairs for possible disciplinary sanctions, current provisions affecting the student’s academic status (temporary or otherwise) will be communicated by the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities or designated office in Student Affairs to the Instructor and appropriate academic administrators/instructors responsible for the student’s current academic standing as soon as possible, but within two weeks of the reported incident.  Only final disciplinary sanctions that affect the academic status of the student will be communicated to the Instructor(s) and appropriate academic administrators after the disciplinary process is complete.

(e) Resources

University Police		727-873-4140
Advocacy Program		813-974-5756
Counseling Center		727-873-4422
General Counsel		813-974-2131
Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (USF Tampa)		813-974-9443
Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (USF Sarasota-Manatee)		941-359-4330
USF Polytechnic Student Affairs/Dean of Students		863-667-7049
USF St. Petersburg Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs		737-873-4162
Students with Disabilities Services		727-873-4990
Assistant/Associate Deans office in schools and colleges, department chairs:
	College of Arts and Sciences	727-873-4156
	College of Business	727-873-4154
	College of Education	727-873-4155

Authority: Art. IX, Sec. 7, Fla. Constitution and Resolutions issued by the FL Board of Governors., 1006.60, 1006.61 F.S. History—New12-11-0