In college and university settings, academic integrity is important. Throughout the course of your educational career, you've likely been chided about the importance of “doing the right thing” when it comes to academic activities. It's been drilled into your head to exhibit traits like honesty, responsibility, and accountability in the management of your academic ideas and feats, as well as the intellectual property of others.
However, in high school and lower educational levels, the repercussions for what most call "cheating," weren't so extreme. The rules are vastly different for attendees of higher education institutions, where a guilty determination for academic misconduct can land you more than a write-up, detention, or a phone call to your parents.
Having a mark of academic misconduct on your academic record won't only affect your college experience, it may also haunt you in your professional career. Certain jobs, like government positions, for example, question applicants about previous allegations. Students who wish to take the bar exam will likely be asked about misconduct. And of course, any job in academia prefers its applicants to have a squeaky clean academic record. Even when enlisting in the military, students will have to disclose the consequences they endured all due to an academic misconduct violation.
This is why it's important for students accused of academic misconduct to immediately seek an attorney. The stakes are simply too high for you not to retain legal counsel. It would also be helpful for you to completely understand how your school defines academic misconduct, the broad span of actions that constitute this violation, and the pivotal role of an attorney in your case.
What is Academic Misconduct?
Academic misconduct occurs when a student does not comply with the academic guidelines implemented by a school. Most schools across the nation take a firm stance against academic misconduct, and their policy and potential repercussions for a violation reaffirm this sentiment. Therefore, in most cases, students who receive a guilty determination end up experience pretty serious consequences. Depending on the circumstances, students have found themselves ejected from their program, suspended, and even expelled from the institution they attend.
Academic Misconduct Violations
There are a large number of actions that could be categorized as academic misconduct. Many students who have faced allegations of this violation claim that they didn't know what they were doing was inappropriate. This is especially true when their accusations involve actions that fall outside the realm of apparent unethical behavior like cheating or plagiarism. For more insight on what could lead to an academic misconduct allegation, here are a few examples of academic misconduct:
- Forging a professor's signature on a letter of recommendation or any other document
- Using unauthorized materials during an exam
- Posting, selling, or distributing lecture notes, handouts, or any other information drafted by a professor, or using them for commercial purposes without approval
- Submitting the same assignment for more than one course without the approval of all the professors involved etc.
Nationwide Student Defense Attorney
Academic misconduct allegations are serious matters that could hinder your professional and academic goals. If you have been accused of this misconduct, it is important that you immediately contact an attorney. Skilled legal professional Joseph D. Lento has experience helping students across the nation in this predicament prevail in a hearing. In cases when a student has been found guilty, he has negotiated agreements that made starting fresh at another college possible. Contact him today for help at 888-535-3686.
