Attorney for Cheyney University

Academic dishonesty is a big deal at Cheyney University. If you've been accused of this charge in any capacity, your academic and professional future may be at stake. To make sure you don't experience the oftentimes severe ramifications that come with being "responsible" for academic dishonesty, it's important you retain a student defense attorney that wholeheartedly understands what you have to lose.

In this article, we'll address how Cheyney University addresses and mitigates claims of academic dishonesty. Then we'll discuss why you need an attorney when accused.

How Does Cheyney University Define “Academic Dishonesty?”

Academic dishonesty involves any attempt to obtain academic credit or influence the grading process by means unauthorized by the course instructor. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following situations and examples.

1. Taking examinations or quizzes for someone else or arranging to have someone take examinations or quizzes in place of the person registered for the course
2. Altering or adding answers on exercises, exams, or quizzes after the work has been graded
3. Gaining unauthorized access to another person's or the University's computer system
4. Presenting material to fulfill course requirements that were researched or prepared by others without the knowledge of the instructor
5. Using unauthorized notes, materials, and devices during examinations or quizzes
6. Providing or receiving unauthorized assistance in lab work and course work, or unauthorized assistance during examinations or quizzes
7. Plagiarizing the work of others and presenting it as one's own without properly acknowledging the source or sources. At its worst, plagiarism is exact copying, but it is also the inclusion of a paraphrased version of the opinions and work of others without giving credit. It is not limited to written materials. It includes the wrongful appropriation in whole or in part of someone else's artistic, musical, mechanical, literary, or computer-based work
8. Falsifying or inventing data to be presented as part of an academic endeavor
9. Possessing or arranging for someone else to possess course examination or quiz materials at any time without the consent of the instructor
10. Altering or adding answers on exercises, exams, or quizzes after the work has been graded

Cheyney University's Procedure for Addressing Academic Misconduct

An allegation of academic misconduct can be resolved either informally or formally. Most situations are resolved informally.

Initial meeting between the instructor and student

Within two weeks of when an instructor first becomes aware of an instance of academic misconduct in his or her course, the instructor shall inform the student that he or she must meet with the instructor to discuss the incident.

Filling out the Academic Dishonesty Report Form

Before or during the meeting, the student shall fill out the appropriate sections of the Academic Dishonesty Report Form and give it to the student during the meeting. The instructor should retain a copy of the filled-out form. While the instructor and the student may wish to discuss the case and its resolution at this meeting, no lengthy discussion is required.

The student must sign, date, and return the Academic Dishonesty Report Form to the instructor within three class days of the initial meeting. Failure to do so means that the student forfeits his or her right to a formal hearing or appeal. 

A student defense attorney can advise you about signing any forms that could be detrimental to your academic career.

Sanctions

One or more of the following sanctions may be imposed upon a student who commits a single act or multiple acts of academic dishonesty. The determination of the sanctions to be imposed depends on the severity of the offense or offenses. In the event that a student agrees to accept the charges made by the course instructor using the informal process or loses an appeal through the formal resolution process, the course instructor will administer either the first or second sanction listed below. 

• The student may be given a grade-reduction penalty within the course in which the act occurred and/or be required to fulfill additional academic requirements within the course with the permission of the instructor.
• The student may be given an “F,” or a failing grade for the course. Students may not withdraw from the course in order to avoid this penalty.
• The student may be temporarily suspended from enrollment at the University
• The student may be expelled from the University

Appeals

Any principal participant in a case may appeal the findings of an instructor or judiciary to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The appeal must be submitted in writing and must describe in detail the grounds for which an alternate decision is desired instead. The only applicable grounds for appeal may include claims of denial of due process, new evidence, an erroneous finding, and an inappropriate recommended sanction of suspension or dismissal. 

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 they can do the same for you. Contact them today for more information at 888-535-3686.