A lot is expected of Allegheny College students. You likely have tons of homework, exams, projects and presentations to prepare for, forcing you to either sharpen your time management skills or crumble beneath the pressure. Unfortunately, the struggle to keep up with studies is the number one culprit behind academic misconduct charges.
Academic integrity is the cornerstone of intellectual institutions like Allegheny College. This is why the college strictly enforces rules to maintain standards of integrity and ensure students complete their assignments in an ethical way. Students who are accused of violating the university's standards of integrity will be accused of what's known as “academic misconduct.” This charge alone, if not handled properly, can put your academic and professional career in jeopardy.
The set of rules that students must adhere to in all their academic endeavors at Allegheny College is known as the Honor Code. This college's code is different than those of many
In this article, we'll address how Allegheny College defines and mitigates academic misconduct, as well as why you need a student defense attorney to represent you throughout the school's processes.
Allegheny College's Academic Integrity Standards
According to Allegheny College's Honor Code, rules regarding academic integrity are designed to promote individual responsibility and integrity in academic affairs and to develop an atmosphere conducive to serious independent scholarship. Allegheny's Honor Code is different than those of many other colleges because it is a student code, developed and upheld by the students themselves rather than imposed by the College administration. The student body voted to make the honor program mandatory.
The Honor Code shall apply to all work submitted for academic credit or to meet non-credit requirements for graduation at Allegheny. This includes all work done in class (examinations, quizzes, and laboratory work), all papers, and any other material so designated by the instructor. All students who have enrolled in the College will work under the Honor Code.
Allegheny College strongly encourages students who observe academic misconduct to report it. So if you've been accused, the claim either came from an instructor or a fellow student. Students who observe academic misconduct and don't report it are in danger of violating the Honor Code.
The following practices are considered to be violations of the Honor Code in examinations, tests, quizzes; in laboratory and computing exercises; and in any other assigned coursework: any attempt to receive or give unauthorized assistance from written, printed, or recorded aids, from any person, or from another's work. Any attempt to receive or give unauthorized assistance by means of an electronic device (cell phones, PDAs, etc.) is also a violation of the Honor Code.
Plagiarism is a popular form of academic misconduct at Allegheny College. It is defined as using the ideas or words of another without properly citing the sources from which the ideas or words are taken. It's important to note that although plagiarism may not be intentional in many situations, it will still be deemed inexcusable.
Allegheny College's Student Disciplinary Hearing Process
Upon receiving charges of an alleged violation, the Honor Board chair will determine whether there are grounds for an investigation. If there is reason to believe that an investigation should ensue, an independent party will conduct an investigation to determine if there's proof the alleged academic misconduct took place.
Following an investigation, a hearing will be conducted by the Hearing Board. In the hearing, all involved parties shall be heard. The Board shall use “clear and convincing” evidence as the burden of proof. “Clear and convincing” evidence is a stricter standard of proof than the “preponderance of evidence,” which is used in many school judicial settings, but less rigorous than “beyond a reasonable doubt,” which is used in criminal cases. Thus, the evidence must be prevailing and persuasive. After all, parties are heard, the Board will deliberate. The Board shall consider all admissible evidence and materials presented during the hearing. No new facts regarding the present suspected violation may be introduced during deliberations. Once the deliberations have concluded, the Board will produce a summary of the case, including the case's resolution.
Sanctions
One or more of the following sanctions may be recommended during the student conduct process: additional assignments, no credit for the original assignment/exam, a failing grade for the original assignment/exam, a reduced final grade for the course, a failing grade for the course, withdrawal from a course and/or the inability to take self-scheduled exams in the course, probation, and in extreme cases, expulsion.
Appeal
Students may appeal in writing the school's decision regarding their petition. To be eligible for consideration, an appeal must include the following:
- The decision the student is appealing and what action is sought;
- Rationale and support for why the decision should be modified;
- Any documentation relevant to the appeal (e.g. medical statement, documentation of evidence, etc.)
Academic Integrity Attorney
An academic misconduct violation can jeopardize the academic and professional goals you or your college student have set. If you value the investment you've made into your education and your professional future, contacting a skilled student defense attorney is a must. The attorneys of LLF Law Firm have helped students who've acquired serious academic misconduct charges recover from these allegations, and can do the same for you. Contact them today at 888-535-3686 for more information.
