Academic integrity breach - anyone with experience?

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floydbloke

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Topic # 198248 1-Jul-2016 21:29

Does anyone have any experience attending a meeting for an alleged academic integrity breach at a university?

Someone near and dear to me needs me to be their support person at one of these.

Did you get the opportunity to state your case fully? Did it seem reasonable and fair? Is there any assessment of character, remorse, ethics, or is it just “this is what we know or have seen, what have you got to say?”

Did the whole thing get resolved or concluded there and then or was it a wait and see.

Most of the trouble in the world is caused by people wanting to be important. (T.S. Eliot)

Fred99

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Reply # 1584409 1-Jul-2016 22:20

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Character, remorse etc - not your problem/place to argue. You're there to support a friend - emotionally - as a friend - not to argue the nitty-gritty yourself. Support them to prepare, to be organised, confident, take notes etc. My SO is/has been involved with this at governance level - so this is "pillow talk" not first-hand. None of them want to be there either - it's their worst nightmare too. I expect that the process will be robust and fair - and that will allow your friend to state their case.

k1wi

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Reply # 1584443 2-Jul-2016 02:00

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I have been an independent observer on the faulty 'side' at a New Zealand University. Basically there to record my observation of the meeting. Fred99 accurately explains your role well.

My perception has been that the allegation is laid out, the student is given a chance to explain the situation and then the 'path forward' is laid out based on the seriousness of the offence. I do think that the student is genuinely listened to when explaining, but the outcome is usually specific to the severity of the transgression's result. In most cases the student agrees with the path forward and then that is usually the end of it. A mistake was made, it is dealt with fairly and, unless it is serious misconduct, the two parties then go back to teaching and learning. It usually only drags out beyond that if it is appealed by the student.

floydbloke

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Reply # 1584453 2-Jul-2016 08:02

Thanks Fred and k1wi, great feedback.

Good to see that it’s a fair hearing, one of my concerns was that it was going to be a pre-determined “you are guilty of this, here is your punishment” session. Sounds like that’s not the case.

The student is only 19 and I can guarantee she’ll be an emotional wreck and might struggle to put her case across fluently. I have a bit (well, a lot) more life experience and am hoping to be able to participate actively (almost ‘legal’ representation if you like) in the discussion because I’ll be able to present her side in a more articulate and rational way.

We discussed this at length last night and will no doubt be the main topic of conversation for the whole weekend in our household. If it wasn’t so stressful and serious (and I didn’t have to take a day off work and travel several hundred kms) it would actually be quite an interesting experience to take part in.

Most of the trouble in the world is caused by people wanting to be important. (T.S. Eliot)

frankv

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Reply # 1584516 2-Jul-2016 10:25

I only had one experience of this, from the teaching side.

I'll confirm what Fred99 said... I certainly didn't want to be there. If it could have been avoided, it would have been.

What happened was that I laid out the facts, which had all been documented. If it hadn't been 100%, we wouldn't have been there. The students then put their case, including admitting they had done it, pleading extenuating circumstances (mother had died of cancer a few weeks before), statements of remorse, etc. The Principal then pronounced judgment which was in accordance with the regulations (in this case the students failed that subject and therefore could not graduate at the end of that year).

I and other lecturers continued to teach those students in other subjects, without any change to their treatment.

Lias

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Reply # 1584751 2-Jul-2016 18:31

Having previously worked at two different tertiary institutes in IT roles, I've never been directly involved in one, but I've heard about some. My understanding is that while the accused will be able to state their side, and things will be scrupulously fair, to some degree it will be a case of "You appear to have done this, short of a very good explanation, this is what is going to happen", because the organisations are so loathe to go down this path without a substantial amount of proof.

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mdav056

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Reply # 1584835 2-Jul-2016 20:21

I've never been involved in one of these, but if I was, I would ask to be able to record the proceedings -- not because I think it might be unfair, but simply because you can never predict the sequelae of such things.

gml

Lias

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Reply # 1585781 4-Jul-2016 17:58

mdav056:

I've never been involved in one of these, but if I was, I would ask to be able to record the proceedings -- not because I think it might be unfair, but simply because you can never predict the sequelae of such things.

I'd be surprised if you can record them in the A/V sense, but it's usually policy that they are minuted and formally recorded in that sense.

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floydbloke

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Reply # 1585794 4-Jul-2016 18:21

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Lias:

mdav056:

I've never been involved in one of these, but if I was, I would ask to be able to record the proceedings -- not because I think it might be unfair, but simply because you can never predict the sequelae of such things.

I'd be surprised if you can record them in the A/V sense, but it's usually policy that they are minuted and formally recorded in that sense.

I like mdav's suggestion and I will request to record it, but not too big deal if they don't allow it. The meeting is this Wednesday, based on additional info we requested and have now received I hope and believe we have a reasonable defence. I'd prefer not to divulge details of the alleged breach and what happened, but will happily report back on the proceedings and the outcome if anyone is interested.

Most of the trouble in the world is caused by people wanting to be important. (T.S. Eliot)

mdav056

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Reply # 1585834 4-Jul-2016 19:51

Floydbloke -- I can't think of any good reason that they would deny you taking an audio recording if everything is clean and above board. It's insurance for your side, and for theirs too.

gml

floydbloke

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Reply # 1595202 19-Jul-2016 18:40

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This is now finally resolved. Took a while because there was another party involved and they were out of town. The process was structured and fair throughout, and largely as described on the university's website, although the person who alleged the breach was rather forceful in trying to prove their case and the other 'accused' student felt bullied during their meeting.

End result is that the students got off, the evidence was insufficient to prove that a breach has occurred. The students can now get on with their lives and studies. It's not something we want to go through again.

(btw @mdav056 , I had every intention of taking an audio recording of the meeting but completely forgot about it at the time with so much on our minds)

Most of the trouble in the world is caused by people wanting to be important. (T.S. Eliot)