Case Western Reserve University is the top-ranked private research university in Ohio. As a leading research institution in the U.S. and the world, Case Western Reserve holds matters of academic integrity in high regard.
Case Western Reserve expects students to uphold the university's standards of academic conduct. Those who fail to meet ethical guidelines not only threaten their academic standing but the academic standing of the university as a whole. Students caught violating academic integrity policies face repercussions ranging from failed coursework to expulsion from the university.
In this article, we'll review Case Western Reserve's academic integrity policies and detail how the university responds to allegations. We'll also discuss how a student defense attorney can help you.
How Does Case Western Reserve Define Academic Integrity?
Case Western Reserve requires its students to practice reasonable precautions in academic matters. According to the Case Western Reserve University Academic Integrity Policy, reasonable precaution refers to “implementing measures that reduce the opportunities for academic misconduct but do not inhibit inquiry, create disruption or distraction in the testing environment, or create an atmosphere of mistrust.”
The university considers students who fail to meet these standards guilty of academic dishonesty. Although there are many different forms of academic dishonesty, Case Western Reserve mentions a few specific types in its
Academic Integrity Policy. Here are a few common examples:
Cheating
Cheating is attempting to gain academic advantage by participating in unauthorized behavior. Case Western Reserve includes but does not limit cheating to:
- Copying someone else's work
- Falsifying problem solutions or laboratory reports
- Using unauthorized sources, notes, or computer programs
- Failing to follow instructions or procedures during a test
Plagiarism
Plagiarism refers to using someone else's work and presenting it as your own. Case Western Reserve prohibits students from presenting another's words or ideas from printed or electronic sources without proper attribution.
Misrepresentation
Misrepresentation is providing false information to deceive instructors. Case Western Reserve students may not forge academic documents, present altered or falsified documents or testimony to a university official, take an exam for another student, or lie about circumstances to postpone tests or assignments.
Obstruction
Obstruction is an act that limits other students' educational opportunities or abilities to conduct scholarly activity. Examples include stealing a student's notebook, destroying their computer documents, or blocking their access to course materials.
Self-Plagiarism
Case Western Reserve also forbids students from self-plagiarism or reusing one's previous coursework or assignments. Students must get authorization from an instructor to submit work from another class.
Case Western Reserve University's Disciplinary Process
If a faculty member believes a student committed academic dishonesty, they can report the violation to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. The Office of Student Conduct must refer the case to the university's Academic Integrity Board if any of the following apply:
- The student disputes the academic integrity violation
- The student disagrees with the instructor's sanction (if it exceeds the minimum punishment)
- The faculty member believes the violation was serious enough to warrant review by the Academic Integrity Board
- The faculty member prefers to defer sanctioning to the Board
- The student is not taking the faculty member's course
- The student has multiple violations of the Academic Integrity Policy
The Academic Integrity Board includes a panel of students and faculty. To find a student responsible for a violation, a majority of the Board must agree that there is a preponderance of evidence showing the violation occurred.
If the Board finds the student guilty of a violation, they will inform the student in writing of their decision in a timely manner.
Appealing Board Decisions
After a Board hearing decision is available, Case Western Reserve students have five business days to file an appeal. They must submit the appeal in writing to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards.
Students have the right to forward the case to a full appeal panel in the following circumstances:
- There is new information available that would have significantly affected the outcome of the hearing
- The sanctions are substantially disproportionate to the severity of the offense
- There is evidence that the university did not follow established procedures and it would have affected the outcome of the case
Potential Consequences for Violations
Students found guilty of violating academic integrity standards face a wide range of outcomes. A first violation will go on the student's conduct record, and they must attend an ethics education program or complete an assigned ethics exercise. They also face additional sanctions such as failure of the assignment, course failure, university warning, disciplinary probation, university separation, and expulsion.
The Academic Integrity Panel considers prior violations when determining sanctions. Students with multiple academic integrity offenses face a minimum sanction of course failure and a maximum sanction of expulsion from Case Western Reserve.
Why Use an Attorney as Your Advisor?
Case Western Reserve's Office of Student Conduct and Communication Standards allows students to bring an advisor to disciplinary hearings. Although the advisor cannot participate in the hearing, they can provide guidance and support that is crucial to your success.
Students should strongly consider using an attorney as their advisor. Attorneys can gather information for your hearing, help you prepare your opening and closing statements, and coach you on answering questions.
An experienced attorney can also identify procedural errors, disproportionate sanctions, and other factors that could impact your case. Their legal acumen could prove invaluable in filing an appeal or overturning a decision.
Case Western Reserve Academic Integrity Attorney
If you face academic dishonesty charges at Case Western Reserve University, you must know what you're up against. Even a first-time violation could lead to significant sanctions that could threaten your entire future. You must take steps to push back against the allegations and fight to protect your reputation.
Attorney Joseph D. Lento has worked to defend the rights of many students across the nation. He has a long track record of success and will work to get you the best result in your academic integrity case. Contact the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 today.
