Academic integrity is at the foundation of the University of Illinois at Chicago's education system. The university has rigorous standards and expects students to uphold their values. To maintain equal access to intellectual excellence, the university requires students to pursue their education with the utmost honesty.
Students who fail to exercise academic integrity face repercussions. Even minor violations can have significant consequences that can jeopardize your academic future. If you are a University of Illinois at Chicago student accused of an academic integrity violation, you must enlist a student defense attorney. In this article, we'll review the University of Illinois at Chicago's academic integrity policy and the reasons an attorney can help fight violations of this policy.
Academic Integrity Definition
The University of Illinois at Chicago considers academic integrity essential to education. Their Student Disciplinary Policy forbids students from participating in any activity that creates an unfair or undeserved academic advantage. Students may not engage in any violations of its guidelines for academic integrity. The student disciplinary policy defines the following behaviors as academic integrity violations:
- Cheating: Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, people, or study aids in an academic exercise. Cheating also refers to receiving or providing unauthorized assistance on exams or assignments.
- Fabricating academic materials: Unauthorized reproduction, falsification, lack of attribution, or invention of any information or citations in academic exercises.
- Facilitating academic dishonesty/plagiarism: Knowingly or intentionally representing another's words or ideas as one's own in academic exercises.
- Offering bribes, favors, or threats: Making threats, promising favors, conspiring, bribing, or attempting to bribe another person to affect a grade or evaluation.
- Examination by proxy: Taking or trying to take an exam for someone else. This violation can result in consequences for the student enrolled in the course and the proxy.
- Grade tampering: Unauthorized changes or attempted changes in grades.
- Submitting non-original works: Unauthorized submission or attempts to submit work written in whole or in part by another person.
- Professional standards: Conduct that violates generally accepted professional standards.
- Fabrication of research: Manipulating research materials, changing data, or inaccurately representing research.
- Unauthorized collaboration: Working with others without an instructor's permission.
- Abuse of academic materials: Destroying, defacing, stealing, or making any academic material inaccessible.
Academic Dishonesty
The University of Illinois at Chicago also forbids students from partaking in any academically dishonest activities. The university defines academic dishonesty as any action taken to gain an unfair advantage over other students. Examples of academic dishonesty listed in the Student Disciplinary Policy are as follows:
- Misrepresentation to an instructor
- Buying a pre-written paper or assignment
- Distributing materials that aid cheating, plagiarism, and other dishonest acts
- Destroying, altering, stealing, or forging academic materials
- Misrepresenting academic documents, such as forging medical documents, transcripts, letters of recommendation, or change of grade slips
The University of Chicago at Illinois' Disciplinary Process
In most cases, The University of Chicago at Illinois students accused of their first academic integrity violation will receive an Academic Liaison letter. This letter allows students to accept responsibility for the violation and agree to a recommended sanction. Students receive email notification of the complaint and have five days to respond. If they accept the resolution, the university will close the case and impose the recommended sanction.
Students with multiple standards of conduct violations and those who reject the proposed resolution will undergo a student conduct hearing. Student conduct hearings allow complainants and defendants to share their perspectives, present evidence, and call witnesses. After conducting the hearing, the hearing committee will render a decision and impose sanctions upon guilty students.
The University of Chicago at Illinois provides students with written notice of the hearing. If the university accuses you of a disciplinary violation, you must take steps to prepare for this hearing.
The university gives students the right to use an advisor in disciplinary hearings. A student discipline attorney can help you prepare for your hearing and guide you through this difficult process. Not only can they create a defense strategy, but they can also identify violations of your rights or unreasonable sanctions. If necessary, an attorney can challenge decisions and facilitate an appeal.
Determining Sanctions
An academic integrity violation carries significant consequences. Instructors and hearing committees weigh many factors when determining sanctions, including the nature of the violation, prior violations, student motivations, and the impact on the university community.
Here are some common consequences for The University of Chicago at Illinois students found responsible for academic integrity violations:
- Warning
- Loss of privileges (such as eligibility for leadership positions, athletic teams, or student organizations)
- University probation
- Community service hours
- Educational experience or project
- Recommendations for assistance (such as counseling services)
- Class removal/reassignment
- Grade modification
- Class reinstatement
- Withholding degree
- Revocation of admission
- Suspension
- Dismissal
- Expulsion
Students also face a disciplinary hold on their academic record. Disciplinary holds may prevent you from registering for classes, obtaining a transcript, applying for courses, and more. The Office of the Dean of Students may place a hold during your conduct hearing or if you fail to complete a required sanction. They also place holds when you are suspended, dismissed, or expelled from the university.
Appealing a Decision
If the university finds you responsible for an academic integrity violation, you may appeal the decision. Students have five days upon receipt of the hearing outcome to file a student conduct appeal form. When filling out this form, you must make a statement explaining the grounds for the appeal, evidence, and documents supporting your appeal, and your desired outcome.
The University of Illinois at Chicago considers procedural errors, new evidence, and disproportionate sanctions grounds for an appeal. An attorney-advisor can help guide you through this process. They can identify factors that might lead to a reduced sanction or overturned decision.
Academic Integrity Attorney
Academic integrity violations can threaten your academic and professional future. If you face an academic integrity allegation, you must contact an experienced student defense attorney. Attorney Joseph D. Lento has assisted countless students in academic integrity matters. He will help challenge allegations and fight to protect you. Contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 for more information.
