We don’t need to tell you that earning a medical degree is hard work. Even though you’re only premed at this point, you know that you’ve got a tougher schedule to worry about every semester than just about anyone else at Carnegie Mellon.

The challenges you face aren’t just academic, though. If you’re planning to apply to medical school, you need your record to be spotless. Engineering students who find themselves accused of plagiarism can deal with the allegation and go on to successful careers without much worry. We expect especially high moral and ethical values from physicians, though, and no medical school is going to let you in if it doesn’t think you can live up to those expectations.

Of course, we all make mistakes, even doctors, and you’re not a doctor just yet. Misunderstandings happen. Unfortunately, false allegations sometimes happen. When they do, you can count on the attorneys at LLF National Law Firm to deal with them. Our Student Defense Team has protected hundreds of students from all types of charges. We’ll protect your rights and make sure you get the best possible resolution to your case.

Before we can do any of that, though, you have to contact us. Call 888-535-3686, or take a few minutes right now and tell us a little about your situation.

Misconduct at Carnegie Mellon University

Let’s start with the basics. Besides OChem, just what is it that you have to worry about as a Carnegie Mellon student? There are basically three sets of rules you need to know.

  • Academic Misconduct: You’re not just expected to earn good grades at CMU; you’re expected to earn them honestly. The Academic Integrity Policy prohibits all the behaviors you’d expect, such as plagiarism and stealing answer keys. It also includes general language that bars any action that could potentially give you an unfair advantage in earning your degree.
  • Disciplinary Misconduct: You aren’t just a student at CMU. You’re also part of a community and subject to the university’s Community Standards. This document includes a long list of offenses against other campus individuals and the university as a whole, everything from misuse of computer resources to assault.
  • Sexual Misconduct: Technically a form of disciplinary misconduct, sexual misconduct is treated as a separate offense. In part, this is because of the serious nature of the offense. Additionally, though, such offenses aren’t just violations of school policy but under Title IX of federal law.

These are the same rules all students at CMU must follow. You don’t face any special conduct requirements. A misconduct violation has far more potential to disrupt your academic career, though, than it does for most other students.

What that means is that you simply must take every allegation against you seriously. You can’t afford to be found Responsible for plagiarism. The sanction on the books could be a lowered grade on an assignment or even nothing more than a warning. The real penalty, though, is if it should show up in your record. You must fight, and you must be smart about how you do it.

Misconduct Procedures

Being smart when it comes to defending yourself starts with knowing how the judicial processes at CMU work. Here’s a basic outline of what you can expect.

  • If you’ve been charged with an offense, it means someone on campus—another student, an instructor, an administrator, a staff employee—has lodged a complaint against you.
  • From the moment you are charged, you have certain due process rights. For example, the university must provide you with a written Notice of the Charges. It must treat you as “Not Responsible” (innocent) until proven Responsible (guilty). It must provide you with access to all evidence in the case.
  • The university must conduct an investigation. Even if you’re just facing a charge of academic misconduct, your instructor must investigate before deciding if a violation occurred.
  • As part of the investigation, you should have the opportunity to give your side of the story. In addition, investigators typically interview Complainants (your accusers) and witnesses, and they collect any relevant physical evidence.
  • Investigators are required to submit a written report. At that point, CMU sets a time and date for a hearing and appoints decision-makers and process advisors to preside over it.
  • Both sides get a fair chance to make their cases at the hearing. In addition to arguing for your innocence, you may introduce evidence and call witnesses to testify. You may also raise questions for any witnesses against you.
  • Once both sides have had a chance to present evidence, decision-makers deliberate as to your level of Responsibility. They employ a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” In simple terms, they must find you Responsible if they believe it is “more likely than not” that you committed an offense.
  • You have one additional right as well: the right to appeal the hearing outcome. Grounds for appeal are limited, though, to
    • A gross procedural error
    • A disproportionate sanction
    • A finding not consistent with the evidence
    • The discovery of new evidence

These processes and procedures are complicated enough as they are. Worse, your particular investigation and hearing can have their own unique flavor based on the precise nature of the charges. If you’ve been accused of Title IX sexual misconduct, for instance, you have the right to cross-examine your accuser. You have to know what questions to ask, though, to use this right effectively, and you have to understand that your accuser also has the right to cross-examine you.

Luckily, you’re not alone. The LLF National Law Firm attorney is familiar with all CMU rules and regulations and can guide you through your case from start to finish. They not only know your rights; they know how to use them to your best benefit. They not only know procedures but can make sure that you don’t make any missteps that cost you your chance at a successful outcome.

Fighting for Your Future

Fighting a misconduct charge is never an easy proposition for anyone. As a premed student, though, you face special challenges. Beyond the complexities of the Carnegie Mellon judicial system, you have to worry about whether sanctions are recorded in your record. You have to worry about who might find out about the allegations and whether those allegations might interfere with recommendation letters, even if they’re proven false. You have to keep a close watch on social media and make sure your reputation doesn’t suffer online. It’s an enormous amount of work to have to deal with on your own.

That’s why the minute you suspect you might be in trouble, it’s vital that you contact LLF National Law Firm’s Student Defense Team. We can negotiate with faculty and administrators if that’s what’s called for, but we can also be fierce in defending our clients.

Let us help you fight for your academic future. To find out more, contact the firm today at 888-535-3686 or fill out our online questionnaire.

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