Because DeSales University seeks to maintain the highest possible academic standards, the urge to get ahead can sometimes tempt students to use questionable and inappropriate methods. When the stakes are high, students are more likely to rationalize taking a “shortcut” to complete their academic endeavors. After all, in their minds, nobody gets hurt if they cut corners once or twice. But what may seem like a miniscule act of rebellion could lead to consequences that jeopardize your academic standing at the university and your post-college professional life.
If you are a student who has been accused of academic misconduct at DeSales University, you must understand that accusations of academic misconduct are serious. In this article, we'll address how Carnegie Mellon University handles allegations of academic misconduct and why you need a student defense attorney to assist you through the process once accused.
How Does “DeSales University” Define Academic Misconduct?
Any behavior that doesn't align with DeSales University's academic integrity guidelines is considered academic misconduct. This is a pretty broad definition, so here are a few examples of the most commonly committed types of academic misconduct according to the student handbook.
- Plagiarism: using the ideas, language, or data of another without specific or proper acknowledgment. Example: copying another person's article, paper, or text from a website and submitting it for an assignment, quoting someone else's ideas without attribution, failing to use quotation marks where appropriate, etc.
- Cheating: using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, study aids, or assistance in examinations or other academic work. Some examples of cheating are using a cheat sheet in an exam or quiz, using a cell phone or other technology to obtain or share information during an exam, altering a graded exam and resubmitting it for a better grade.
- Facilitating academic dishonesty: knowingly helping or attempting to help another violate any provision of the Code.
- Unfair advantage: attempting to obtain an unauthorized advantage over fellow students in an academic exercise.
- Multiple submissions: Submitting, without prior consent, any work submitted to fulfill another academic requirement.
- Misrepresentation of academic records: misrepresenting or tampering with or attempting to tamper with any portion of a student's transcript or academic record either before or after coming to the University of Pennsylvania. Some examples of that are forging a change of grade slip, tampering with computer records, falsifying academic information one's resume.
Misconduct can occur in any academic situation including, but not limited to, a course research project, independent study, presentation, qualifying examination, preliminary examination, or dissertation.
DeSales University's Procedures for Handling Academic Integrity Violations
Faculty members are given wide discretion to judge the academic work of their students. If a faculty member concludes that a student has violated academic integrity regulations, they have two options: (1) assign a grade that reflects their view that work has done inappropriately, or (2) refer the matter to DeSales University's Student Conduct for discipline - depending on whether or not the student has admitted the violation.
The university disciplinary process at DeSales University may involve the following stages:
- Bringing a complaint to the office of student conduct
- Resolving a complaint by mediation
- Investigating a complaint
- Filing charges by the university against a student
- Resolving charges by voluntary agreement to sanctions
- Resolving charges by a disciplinary hearing
- Appealing to the decision of a hearing panel
- Imposing sanctions on a student
- Fulfilling sanctions imposed by the university
Sanctions
Students who are found “responsible” for academic misconduct via disciplinary hearing have been subjected to a wide range of sanctions. These include a warning, reprimand, fine, disciplinary probation, the withdrawal of privileges, suspension, indefinite suspension, and in extreme cases, expulsion.
It's important to note that the effects of repercussions for an academic integrity violation are far-reaching and often extend outside of a student's education into their professional life. With evidence of this type of misconduct on your academic record, other institutions and jobs may question your integrity or morale. Government jobs, professions in law, and careers in academics are industries that have been known to disqualify applicants for having academic misconduct on their record.
Need a Student Defense Attorney? Contact the LLF Law Firm
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. LLF Law Firm has helped students who've acquired serious academic misconduct charges recover from these allegations, and they can do the same for you. Contact the LLF Law Firm today for more information at 888-535-3686.
