The Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (BU Dental) is a private dental school established in 1958 in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the official dental school of Boston University and, at the time of its founding, was the only one in the United States that had a specialty education offering in the field. BU Dental offers multiple degree options for aspiring dental professionals, like general dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and pediatric dentistry. As part of this historical institution, you have the opportunity to learn from seasoned professionals in your field and receive a solid dental education that will serve you well in the future. However, to remain enrolled at BU Dental and remain in good standing, you must demonstrate impeccable conduct and avoid engaging in academic misconduct.
Dental students are under considerable stress as they navigate the ins and outs of their future profession through the trials and errors of dental school. Since you will be in a position of public trust, you are held to a higher standard than others when it comes to ethical performance. Avoiding academic misconduct is a critical part of this process, especially since BU Dental implements a strict code of conduct to investigate and adjudicate cases of academic misconduct. It also imposes sanctions for this violation, like grade deductions, course repetition, suspension, and permanent expulsion. If you are accused of academic misconduct at BU Dental, contact LLF National Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 for more information, or click here to access the online portal and send a message to the team.
Academic Conduct Code at BU Dental
The Academic Conduct Code in the student handbook at Boston University applies to all students attending its various colleges. Promoting the principles of academic integrity is of utmost importance at Boston University, as the school emphasizes building an atmosphere of mutual trust, collaboration, respect, and ethical behavior. The policy also provides a list of activities that are considered violations, including:
- Plagiarism
- Misrepresentation, falsification, or the fabrication of information
- Exam theft
- Bad conduct during a professional field assignment
- Making false statements
- Unprofessional treatment of patients and clients
- Altering or destroying another student’s records
- Theft or destruction of exams or papers
- Not sitting in the assigned seat during the examination
- Unauthorized communication during an academic exercise, such as on an exam
- Submitting the same work to multiple instructors or in different courses without letting them know
- Cheating on an exam or assignment
- Knowingly allowing another student to represent your work as their own
- Forging examinations, grade lists, quizzes, and official documents
- Identity misrepresentation
Besides the above violations, Boston University also considers other actions similar to these that have not been specified as potential violations. If you are accused of one or more of these infractions, you may face severe penalties that threaten your graduation prospects and damage your reputation.
Adjudication Process at BU Dental
The handbook mentions that every college must designate a Director, Assistant or Associate Dean, or an Assistant or Associate Provost to handle the adjudication process. Every school must also assign a Designated Academic Integrity Representative (DAIR), who is neither a mediator nor a representative between any party. DAIR’s job is to discuss student privacy rights according to FERPA and GDPR, if applicable.
Faculty members who believe that a dentistry student is engaged in academic misconduct must inform the student of the suspected violation and send the Dean of the College of Dentistry an Instructor Report of Academic Misconduct. If it is a first-time offense and the violation is not egregious, the instructor will propose a grade penalty, and the Dean may ask the student to sign an Agreement for Resolution form, which was previously called the Admission of Academic Misconduct Form. The student is not obliged to sign this form, however, and may exercise their right to ask for a hearing in front of the Academic Conduct Committee.
If this is not a first-time offense, or if it is, but the violation was egregious, the matter automatically gets assigned to the Academic Conduct Committee, which proceeds with the hearing process. Once this happens, the Dean emails the student in question to inform them about the hearing at least 12 days in advance. Students are informed of their rights at the time, including the option to have an advisor present. The advisor can make an opening statement on behalf of the accused student.
During the hearing, you have a chance to defend against harmful allegations and present any evidence or witnesses that can underscore your argument. Once the hearing ends, the committee members deliberate and decide on a judgment and a penalty.
Appeals
Students may appeal the panel’s decision by sending an appeal form to the Dean of the College of Dentistry within 14 days of the receipt of the panel’s response. The appeal can only be made on the grounds of the decision being unreasonable or unfair. Once the Dean receives this request, they decide on the matter and inform the student of their findings. There is a chance to appeal a final time to the Provost, who may conduct a separate investigation before coming to a final decision. Students may not appeal after this process.
Contacting the LLF National Law Firm Education Law Team
BU Dental understandably takes academic misconduct seriously and imposes heavy sanctions on those who commit multiple violations. However, every student deserves due process and a fair adjudication. This is where LLF National Law Firm’s Education Law Team comes in.
The LLF National Law Firm’s Education Law Team has years of experience working with dental students accused of academic misconduct nationwide. With their emphasis on justice, their thorough investigation of the details, and their commitment to their clients, you are in good hands when allegations threaten to ruin your future.
You worked hard to get into dental school – don’t let a mistake alter the course of your professional and academic life.
If you or someone you love faces allegations of academic misconduct at BU Dental, help is a call or message away. Call LLF National Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 for more information or send a message through this link to learn more about the next steps.