Academic integrity is an essential part of an effective learning environment. To keep the quality of education high, higher education institutions must preserve academic integrity. In order to do so, colleges and universities enforce rules that maintain academic integrity. If students don't comply, the consequences can be harsh.
It's important for students accused of academic misconduct to seek the help of an attorney advisor. An experienced legal professional can help you clear your name, and avoid getting you a record for employers and outside institutions to see.
What is Academic Misconduct?
Every college and university in North Carolina has rules that address academic integrity. These rules are intended to establish transparency or accountability when it comes to completing their work and respecting the works of others. Any actions that break these rules can be categorized as academic misconduct.
Academic Misconduct Violations
There are numerous forms of academic misconduct. Here are some common definitions and examples of academic misconduct that may be punishable at your school:
Cheating: using deceitful, dishonest, or fraudulent methods to gain academic merit.
- Allowing another person to write a paper for you
- Sharing answers from a take-home exam (unless specifically authorized by an instructor)
- Using materials, written notes, prepared answers, or concealed information that isn't allowed to complete a project or exam
- Having a stand-in take an exam for you, or standing in for someone else
- Copying from others during an exam
Fabrication/Falsification: inventing or altering information in an academic exercise.
- Creating or altering citations for a paper
- Making up interactions, discussions, people, or events to complete an assignment
Plagiarism: using intellectual material authored by another person in your work without acknowledging the original source.
- Passing off the ideas, words, or concepts of another person as your own
- Using the work of another in your academic work without giving them the proper credit. This is known as citing the source. To properly cite the source, one must give credit for every direct quote, summary, paraphrased idea, or information that isn't considered common knowledge
Complicity: helping or attempting to help another student perform academically dishonest acts.
- Letting another student use your identification to access a restricted area of campus
- Allowing another student to copy your exam, homework, or project
This is a general list that isn't meant to be either restrictive or exhaustive. For a more detailed list of punishable definitions and examples of academic misconduct, please see your institution's code of conduct.
Consequences
The effects of the repercussions of academic misconduct extend far beyond college sanctions. This violation can haunt students in their professional lives as well. Jobs with access to student academic records can deny students employment due to this violation. In fact, government jobs, careers in academia, and professions in law are likely to deny you employment based on the fact that you have this violation.
North Carolina Misconduct Advisor
A finding of responsibility for academic misconduct 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. Attorney Joseph D. Lento has helped students who've acquired serious academic misconduct charges recover from these allegations, and he can do the same for you. Contact him today for more information.
North Carolina colleges and universities where Joseph D. Lento can help as your or your student's academic misconduct advisor during investigations, hearings, and appeals include, but are not limited to, the following schools:
- Alamance Community College
- Apex School of Theology
- Appalachian State University
- Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College
- Barton College
- Beaufort County Community College
- Belmont Abbey College
- Bennett College for Women
- Bladen Community College
- Blue Ridge Community College
- Brevard College
- Brunswick Community College
- Cabarrus College of Health Sciences
- Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
- Campbell University
- Cape Fear Community College
- Carolina Bible College
- Carolina Christian College
- Carteret Community College
- Catawba College
- Catawba Valley Community College
- Central Carolina Community College
- Central Piedmont Community College
- Chowan University
- Cleveland Community College
- Coastal Carolina Community College
- College of the Albemarle
- Craven Community College
- Davidson College
- Davidson County Community College
- DeVry University North Carolina
- Duke University
- Durham Technical Community College
- East Carolina University
- Edgecombe Community College
- Elizabeth City State University
- Elon University
- Fayetteville State University
- Fayetteville Technical Community College
- Forsyth Technical Community College
- Gardner Webb University
- Gaston College
- Grace College of Divinity
- Greensboro College
- Guilford College
- Guilford Technical Community College
- Halifax Community College
- Harrison College
- Haywood Community College
- Heritage Bible College
- Isothermal Community College
- ITT Technical Institute Cary
- ITT Technical Institute Charlotte North
- ITT Technical Institute Charlotte South
- ITT Technical Institute Durham
- ITT Technical Institute High Point
- James Sprunt Community College
- Johnson & Wales University Charlotte
- Johnson C Smith University
- Johnston Community College
- King's College
- Laurel University
- Lees McRae College
- Lenoir Community College
- Lenoir Rhyne University
- Living Arts College
- Livingstone College
- Louisburg College
- Mars Hill University
- Martin Community College
- Mayland Community College
- McDowell Technical Community College
- Meredith College
- Methodist University
- Mid Atlantic Christian University
- Miller Motte College
- Miller Motte College Cary
- Miller Motte College Fayetteville
- Miller Motte College Greenville
- Miller Motte College Raleigh
- Miller Motte College Wilmington
- Mitchell Community College
- Montgomery Community College
- Montreat College
- Mount Olive College
- Nash Community College
- New Life Theological Seminary
- North Carolina A & T State University
- North Carolina Central University
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh
- North Carolina Wesleyan College
- Pamlico Community College
- Pfeiffer University
- Piedmont Community College
- Piedmont International University
- Pitt Community College
- Queens University of Charlotte
- Randolph Community College
- Richmond Community College
- Roanoke Chowan Community College
- Robeson Community College
- Rockingham Community College
- Rowan Cabarrus Community College
- Saint Augustines College
- Salem College
- Sampson Community College
- Sandhills Community College
- Shaw University
- Shepherds Theological Seminary
- South College Asheville
- South Piedmont Community College
- Southeastern Community College
- Southwestern Community College
- St. Andrews University
- Stanly Community College
- Surry Community College
- The Art Institute of Charlotte
- The Art Institute of Raleigh Durham
- Tri County Community College
- University of North Carolina at Asheville
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- University of North Carolina at Pembroke
- University of North Carolina at Wilmington
- University of North Carolina School of the Arts
- University of Phoenix Charlotte Campus
- University of Phoenix Raleigh Campus
- Vance Granville Community College
- Wake Forest University
- Wake Technical Community College
- Warren Wilson College
- Wayne Community College
- Western Carolina University
- Western Piedmont Community College
- Wilkes Community College
- William Peace University
- Wilson Community College
- Wingate University
- Winston Salem State University
It is an unfortunate reality that academic misconduct charges can upend an accused student's life if not properly addressed, and Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm have unparalleled experience passionately fighting for the future of his clients at colleges and universities in North Carolina and throughout the nation. He does not settle for the easiest outcome, and instead prioritizes his clients' needs and well-being. Joseph Lento is a licensed attorney in New Jersey and New York, is admitted as an attorney pro hac vice in state and federal court if needed when representing clients nationwide, and serves as an academic misconduct advisor for students facing disciplinary cases in North Carolina and throughout the nation. Make certain your or your student's interests are protected - Contact National Academic Misconduct Advisor Joseph D. Lento today at 888-535-3686.
