Founded in the early 1800s, the College of Law at the University of Cincinnati is a well-established academic institution. The College prides itself on its strong reputation and its commitment to high academic standards.
Students are expected to demonstrate good moral character and abide by the College Honor Code. Lawyers must always act with integrity, and the College expects no less of its students.
Student Policies at Cincinnati College of Law
All students at the University of Cincinnati, including law students, must follow the Student Code of Conduct (S.C.O.C.). The S.C.O.C. sets out student rights and responsibilities which reflect university policies.
As a law student, you must also follow the College of Law policies, including the Academic Rules applicable to your level of study, e.g., JD, LLM, or Graduate level.
It's the responsibility of each student to read the relevant policies and ensure they understand their obligations to the University and College of Law.
Cincinnati College of Law Student Academic Misconduct
The Student Code of Conduct prohibits any actions considered “academic misconduct.” Students are expected to always uphold the highest ethical standards, which include behaving honestly, fairly, and responsibly.
The University provides various examples of behavior that may be considered academic misconduct.
Aiding and abetting
Aiding and abetting means knowingly helping another student engage in academic misconduct.
Cheating
Cheating means any dishonest act performed to meet an academic requirement. Here are some examples of what may constitute cheating.
- Doing someone else's work for them
- Using unauthorized materials, e.g., taking an unauthorized device into an exam
- Selling, possessing, or distributing academic materials, e.g., selling your paper
- Obtaining unauthorized access to college files
- Getting unauthorized help to complete work
Fabrication
Falsifying any information, such as data or evidence, in any academic exercise. For example, this could mean providing a false citation or presenting data as fact when it's fabricated.
Plagiarism
A form of cheating, plagiarism means submitting someone else's work, in whole or in part, and pretending it's your own work. There are many forms of plagiarism, but here are some examples from the S.C.O.C.
- Handing in a whole paper which belongs to someone else and saying it's your own work
- Paraphrasing ideas from another source without crediting the author
- Submitting work you've already submitted in another form without permission to resubmit the material, e.g., recycling an oral presentation and using it to answer a paper
Plagiarism can be a serious accusation. Ask the college for advice if you're unsure what counts as plagiarism or cheating.
Standards violation
This means violating any professional or ethical standard as set by the relevant academic college (in this case, the College of Law).
Remember, law students are expected to behave with integrity and show good moral character. Any behavior which calls a student's character into question is potentially serious.
Potential Sanctions for Student Misconduct
The sanctions for academic misconduct at Cincinnati College of law include the following.
- Altering the grade for an assignment
- Giving the student a failing grade for the course
- Imposing restrictions, such as prohibiting the student from taking part in certain activities
- Suspending the student from the course
- Expelling the student from the course or the University
If a student is expelled from the University, they lose the right to enroll in any other courses.
The College will apply sanctions based on the severity of the violation. They may also apply multiple sanctions, depending on the nature of the breach.
How Cincinnati College of Law Handles Misconduct
The S.C.O.C. specifies the disciplinary process for handling misconduct.
First Notice
The instructor notifies the student of the alleged violation. The student can admit to the breach or deny the allegation and request a review meeting. Students are entitled to have a representative, such as an attorney-advisor, with them.
Final Notice
Following the meeting, the student can accept the allegations and proposed sanctions or deny the allegations and request a formal hearing. The student can also accept the allegations but challenge the sanctions, which also triggers a hearing.
Resolution By College Hearing Panel
The College Hearing Panel (C.H.P.) convenes when the student and faculty can't reach an agreement. Again, the student can request an attorney to represent them at the hearing.
The C.H.P. can decide by majority vote. No more than three days after the hearing, the chair of the C.H.P. will notify the student of the decision in writing and advise them of the right to appeal.
If you're facing academic misconduct allegations, contact the Lento Law Firm now for experienced representation. Misconduct allegations can adversely affect your future career prospects, so it's crucial you seek effective counsel to protect your rights so far as possible.
Appeals Process
The S.C.O.C. sets out the appeals process.
The student should file an appeal with the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (S.C.C.S) within five days of receiving the decision letter. The petition should include one of the grounds for appeal:
- New information is available which affects the decision
- A significant procedural error affected the decision
- The penalty of suspension or dismissal is disproportionate
The appeal decision is final, meaning the student must accept the decision and the sanctions if applicable.
Who Can Help If You're Facing Student Misconduct Allegations?
Disciplinary proceedings for law student misconduct can be daunting and overwhelming. If you're dealing with academic misconduct allegations and you're facing an investigation or formal proceedings, you need an experienced representative at your side to help you navigate the process.
Academic and law student misconduct sanctions can have a serious impact on your studies and future law career. To protect your best interests and ensure Cincinnati College of Law upholds your student rights, call attorney Joseph Lento and the Lento Law Firm now at 888-535-3686 or tell us about your case online.
