Going to college has been your dream since you were little. You took the right classes, participated in clubs, and beefed up your college resume in any way you could. But now that you're here, you never imagine being accused of academic misconduct. You thought you'd be organizing your social calendar, not preparing for a hearing on whether you should remain a student at CUNY Queens College.
At CUNY, accusations of academic misconduct are taken very seriously. If you or someone you love has been accused of academic misconduct, working with an attorney from the moment you are notified of the accusations will ensure you receive the best possible outcome. Attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm have helped hundreds of college students navigate these allegations. Call our Firm today.
Academic Misconduct at CUNY Queens College
The meaning of academic misconduct varies from school to school, the basics are always the same: any act that provides a student with an academic advantage without permission. At CUNY Queens College, the following are considered acts of academic dishonesty that violate the university's academic integrity policy:
- Cheating: using, or trying to use, unauthorized materials on an exam, paper, or other academic exercise. Examples of “cheating” include copying another student's work, using notes during a closed book exam, falsifying data, or preparing answers in blue books before the exam.
- Falsification: manipulating research materials, processes, or equipment, or changing data so that the paper, exam, or other academic exercise is not accurately representing it.
- Plagiarism: using another's ideas, words, or results without giving them credit. Examples include copying another person's actual words or images without using quotation marks, presenting someone else's theories as your own, or copying information from the internet without citing the source.
- Obtaining an unfair advantage by stealing, reproducing, or gaining advance access to an exam or its materials.
CUNY Queens College Academic Dishonesty Procedure
If a faculty member suspects a student of committing academic misconduct, they will sit with the student and review the incident. Afterward, if they conclude that the student did violate the school's academic integrity, the faculty member will report the incident to the Academic Integrity Officer.
The Academic Integrity Officer will review the violation and determine if disciplinary or academic sanctions are warranted. The university only allows the Academic Integrity Officer to pursue disciplinary sanctions if:
- There has been a substantial violation
- The student has previously violated the policy
- Or academic sanctions cannot be imposed because the student has withdrawn from the course
Substantial violations may include forging a grade form or transcript, stealing an exam, having someone else take a test for you, or sabotaging another student's work. If the matter cannot be resolved with mediation, it will be heard by the Faculty-Student Disciplinary Committee. After this hearing, the committee will deliberate on responsibility as well as any necessary sanctions. Disciplinary sanctions include suspension from attendance or complete expulsion.
In certain instances, disciplinary sanctions are not appropriate, and the student does not challenge their guilt. When this happens, the faculty member may simply choose to punish the student with a lower grade on either an assignment or the entire course altogether. Additionally, if the student admits to the incident but challenges the imposed sanction, they have the option to appeal it. This appeal must be made in writing and include supporting evidence. The appeals committee will review it and issue a written decision explaining the reasoning behind the enforced sanction.
In cases where the accused student flat out denies the incident, an Academic Integrity Committee is formed to look into the matter. The hearing will, at a minimum, provide the student with:
- Written notice of the charges
- The right to appear before the committee
- The right to present witness statements and/or call a witness
Once this hearing ends, the Academic Integrity Committee will determine if the accused student is responsible and any necessary sanctions, including failing or reducing the student's grade.
There are times when the college will choose to pursue both academic and disciplinary sanctions. When this happens, the disciplinary sanction hearing will take place first, then the academic one. If both committees determine that no violation has occurred, they will scrub the matter from the student's confidential academic integrity file.
Appealing an Academic Misconduct Decision
If you are found responsible for violating the school's academic integrity policy, you will be able to appeal this decision to the President. This appeal must be made in writing within 15 days of receiving the committee's decision.
The President will review the appeal and determine if the committee's decision should be upheld, the sanctions modified, or returned to the committee for further review. This decision is final and cannot be appealed again.
How an Attorney-Advisor Can Help
Academic integrity violation accusations can have long-lasting consequences. For instance, the academic sanctions imposed may force you to retake the course at another time or face a lowered GPA. Additionally, disciplinary sanctions from CUNY Queens College will be noted on your final transcripts, forcing you to discuss them on any future graduate school applications.
This is why it is so important to get the advice and experience of a seasoned attorney-advisor from the beginning. Attorney-advisors, like Attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm, will be able to avoid or mitigate any negative consequences you might face. Attorney Lento is a skilled advisor who has worked with hundreds of students in the CUNY system and across the county who have found themselves in similar situations. Call 888-535-3686 today to schedule your consultation.
