Academic Misconduct
Student Academic Misconduct
The University takes academic misconduct very seriously and seeks at all times to rigorously protect its academic standards. Plagiarism, collusion and other forms of cheating constitute academic misconduct, for which there is an explicit range of graduated penalties depending on the particular manifestation of academic misconduct. The penalties that can be applied if academic misconduct is substantiated range from failure in the item of assessed work or module to expulsion in very serious cases.
It is the responsibility of students to ensure that they understand the academic practices of their courses and to ensure that work submitted for assessment is their own. The Academic Misconduct Procedure can be viewed by following the link below.
Changes for 2011/12
Please note that for 2011/12, the University’s Academic Board approved some changes to the Procedures on Academic Misconduct; in particular, to the categories of academic misconduct and to the penalties to be imposed for contravening the Procedures.
Academic Misconduct Procedures
Frequently Asked Questions
General:
- Who Decides Whether to Make an Allegation?
- How Are Allegations Progressed?
- How Will I be Notified of an Allegation of Academic Misconduct?
- Where Will My Notification be Sent?
- What Options Do I Have Once I’ve Recieved The Notification?
- How Long Do I Get To Respond to the Allegations or Request a Review?
- How Do I Request a Review of the Decision?
- What if The University Has Notified Me of an Allegation of Academic Misconduct While I Was Away From the Address That Appears on My Student Record?
Oral Hearings:
- Can a Friend Attend the Hearing With Me?
- Can I Bring Witnesses Along to the Hearing?
- If I Can't Attend the Hearing What Should I Do?
Penalties:
- Will I be Expelled from the University for a First Offence?
- What ia a Reprimand?
- I Have Received a Penatly 2, Does That Mean That I Have an Automatic Resit?
- If I Have Been Suspended, When Will the Suspension be Applied?
- What Does Expulsion Mean?
- What If I Have a Previous Proven Allegation?
- Will the University Disclose my Academic Misconduct in a Reference?
Appeals:
General
Who Decides Whether to Make an Allegation?
If a lecturer establishes evidence of academic misconduct, they are required to submit an allegation to the Student Casework Office. The Student Casework Office will review the allegation on behalf of the University and determine whether there is sufficient evidence to progress the allegation.
If there is not enough evidence to progress the allegation the Student Casework Office will contact the lecturer who made the allegation and ask whether there is further evidence to support the allegation. If no further evidence is available or if the Student Casework Office determines that there is still insufficient evidence to progress the allegation, the work concerned shall be sent back to the lecturer and the mark released.
How Are Allegations Progressed?
Where there is sufficient evidence to progress the case, the Student Casework Office reviews the allegation against the types of academic misconduct detailed in the Tables in paragraph 7 of the Procedures on Student Academic Misconduct (Academic Regulations 2011/12, Section 10.5)
- Where the alleged academic misconduct clearly falls under one category in the Tables referred to above, the Student Casework Office will notify the student of the allegation, the category that it falls under, the potential penalty to be imposed and that there is sufficient evidence to substantiate it, if a valid request for a review is not received by the specified deadline. In such cases a student can request a review of the decision or the penalty imposed if they can demonstrate valid grounds for doing so.
- Where the category of academic misconduct is not clear, the student shall be sent a Procedural Form offering a number of options to respond to the allegation. The Student must return the completed Procedural Form. At this point the allegation has not been substantiated so a student cannot request a review, rather a student must respond via the Procedural Form.
- In cases of collusion, as it is not possible to determine what has happened, Procedural Forms which will be sent to all the students listed in the allegation, which will be progressed as in ii) above.
How Will I be Notified of an Allegation of Academic Misconduct?
The Student Casework Office will write to you and include a copy of the allegation made against you and a copy of the work concerned together with the evidence of academic misconduct. For cases of collusion a student will also be sent copies of the work of the other students involved.
Where Will My Notification be Sent?
The notification will be sent to your vacation address during the summer vacation and to your term time address at all other times. It is therefore essential that all students ensure that they update their contact details via their Evision account. Please note that the Student Casework Office will not re-send any notification.
What Options Do I Have Once I’ve Recieved The Notification?
- If the first correspondence you receive informs you that the allegation will be substantiated against you and the associated penalty will be imposed, you may choose not to request a review of the allegation; however, by not responding, you are accepting the allegation and imposed penalty. Alternatively, you can request a review of the decision.
OR - If you have been notified only that an allegation has been made against you (i.e. not that the allegation has been substantiated against you and the associated penalty imposed), you must complete and return the Procedural Form you have been sent. The following options are available to you:
- I accept the allegation and want the case to be considered by way of written representations.
- I accept the allegation and want the case to be considered in an oral hearing where I intend to be present.
- I dispute the allegation and want the case to be considered by way of written representations.
- I dispute the allegation and want the case to be considered in an oral hearing where I intend to be present.
How Long Do I Get To Respond to the Allegations or Request a Review?
- If you have been notified that the Student Casework Office will substantiate an allegation against you if you do not submit a valid request for a review, and you believe you have grounds to request a review, then you must submit your request for a review in writing within ten working days of receipt* of the letter informing you of the penalty.
OR - Where notification has included a Procedural Form this should be completed and returned within ten working days of receipt*.
* Notification shall be deemed to have been received by the addressee on the second postal delivery day following that on which it was posted
How Do I Request a Review of The Decision?
You can only request a review if the University’s first correspondence notified you that the allegation will be substantiated against you and a penalty will be applied.
Please note for allegations that have been substantiated by a Panel i.e, where the University enclosed a Procedural Form outlining the allegation but not an associated penalty, students should follow the Procedures for Appeals against Student Academic Misconduct Decisions (Academic Regulations 2011/12 Section 10.5 paras 28-37).
When requesting a review you may:
- accept the allegation, but make representations as to the level of the penalty imposed; or
- dispute the allegation; or
- dispute the allegation and also make representations against the level of the penalty imposed.
A request will only be deemed valid if it identifies and explains the reasons upon which you are relying, failure to do so will make the request for review invalid and you will be deemed to have accepted the allegation.
Please note that you can dispute an allegation irrespective of the penalty concerned. However, representations against the level of the penalty, as in 1 and 3 above, will normally only be considered in respect of penalty 3 and above.
Students are strongly advised to present a concise and legible submission.
What if The University Has Notified Me of an Allegation of Academic Misconduct While I Was Away From the Address That Appears On My Student Record?
It’s a student’s responsibility to ensure that their current contact details are maintained on their Evision account. The Student Casework Office will send correspondence to a student’s vacation address during the summer vacation and to their term time address at all other times.
If on returning from a temporary absence you find that you have been sent a notification of an allegation or a penalty (which you wish to request a review) for which the 10 working day deadline has expired, you must contact the Student Casework Office immediately (email: casework@londonmet.ac.uk).
Oral Hearings
Can a Friend Attend the Hearing With Me?
Yes, a friend can attend the hearing with you. Under the University’s Academic Regulations, ‘friend’ is defined as a person, who shall normally be a member of staff or student of the University, appointed by a student to assist him or her in the conduct of his or her case at a hearing. You will note from this definition that it does not include legal representation and that any person who is not a member of staff of the University or student will only be able to act in the capacity of "friend" at the Panel’s discretion. Furthermore, please note that if you cannot attend a hearing, you cannot normally be represented in your absence by anyone else.
Can I Bring Witnesses Along to the Hearing?
Yes, witnesses are permitted to attend. However, please note that it is your responsibility to inform the Student Casework Office at least two working days before the hearing of the list of witnesses who will be attending indicating the nature of the evidence they are expected to give. You should also note that the Panel does have the power to refuse to receive evidence that, in its opinion is irrelevant, whether because it is repetitious of other evidence that has already been given or otherwise.
Please note that it is your responsibility to inform the "friend" or "witnesses" of the time and place of the hearing.
If I Can't Attend the Hearing What Should I Do?
If you wish to request a postponement then you must contact the Student Casework Office at least two working days before the hearing. You must state why you are unable to attend the scheduled hearing and you may be asked to supply supporting evidence. Please note that working commitments are not normally accepted.
The Student Casework Office will inform you normally via email prior to the hearing if your request for re-arrangement has been accepted. Requests are normally only permitted on one occasion.
Penalties
Will I be Expelled from the University for a First Offence?
A student will not be expelled from the University for their first substantiated allegation of academic misconduct.
What is a Reprimand?
A reprimand is a formally recorded warning, which will stay on a student’s file, however, the work in question will be returned to the department and the appropriate mark will be released for it. It is important to note that a reprimand is a formal penalty, which will result in the student receiving a minimum penalty of a one semester suspension if a further allegation is substantiated against them at a later stage.
I Have Received a Penalty 2, Does That Mean That I Have an Automatic Resit?
No, you can only resit the item of assessment concerned if:
- the alleged academic misconduct relates to the first sit/attempt (i.e not a resit); AND
- if your overall performance in the module (taking into account the zero for the item of assessed work affected by the allegation) results in an overall failure in the module.
If I Have Been Suspended, When Will the Suspension be Applied?
Suspensions will be applied at the start of the next full Academic Year. The letter notifying you of the suspension will detail the Academic Year for which you will be suspended. Therefore, if you receive notification that a suspension may be applied OR that you will be suspended, you should continue your studies until the start of the specified period of suspension. It is very important that you contact either your Personal Academic Adviser (for Undergraduate Students) or Course Leader (for Postgraduate Students) prior to commencing your suspension to confirm arrangements for the resumption of your studies.
If you have received confirmation from the Student Casework Office that your appeal is to be considered under the Procedures on Student Academic Misconduct, please note that the penalty imposed by the previous panel will be put on hold until a decision on your appeal is reached and you should continue your studies without prejudice. Therefore no suspension will be imposed unless confirmed by the Appeals Panel.
What Does Expulsion Mean?
In the event that a student is expelled from the University, they will be permanently excluded from the University.
What If I Have a Previous Proven Allegation?
Students who have a previous proven allegation against them should note that the penalty for a second or subsequent substantiated allegation of academic misconduct will normally be one penalty level higher than that suggested in Regulation 7 of the Procedures on Student Academic Misconduct, or one level higher than the previous penalty, whichever is higher.
Will the University Disclose my Academic Misconduct in a Reference?
The University may refer to any penalty imposed against you for academic misconduct in any future reference it is asked to provide. Please note that if your course is governed by a professional body, many require all instances of academic misconduct to be reported to them and may have serious implications as to any future career path you may wish to pursue.
Appeals
How Do I Appeal Against an Academic Miscondut Decision?
There are three grounds under which you can make an appeal against an academic misconduct decision:
- procedural defect other than that for which you are responsible (and which results in substantial unfairness) and/or;
- that the evidence the decision was based on was insufficient and/or;
- that a penalty of suspension or expulsion was imposed.
For your appeal to be considered it must be in writing, signed by you, and received by the Student Casework Office within ten working days of your receipt of the letter notifying you of the decision of a hearing of the allegation against you. Your letter of appeal must specify the ground(s) of your appeal and explain the reason(s) that clearly demonstrate the ground(s). Any appeal that does not meet these criteria will be deemed invalid.
Depending upon which ground(s) your appeal is accepted under for consideration it will either be heard by a new Panel or the Vice-Chancellor of the University (or his nominee).
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