Academic Integrity: Protect Your College Career with Help from a Student Defense Attorney

The Importance of Academic Integrity in Pomona College

In intellectual environments such as Pomona College, academic integrity is essential to maintaining good academic work. Students are expected to be honest and transparent in all academic endeavors, including assignments, presentations, projects, and exams. The college faculty expects a lot from their students, which can often be overwhelming. Unfortunately, many students crumble under this pressure, and stress becomes a significant factor leading to academic integrity violations.

The unfortunate thing is that allegations of academic misconduct are taken seriously by the school regardless of whether the student intentionally violated regulations or not. Students who thought they were being innovative or trying to save time by cutting corners often find themselves accused of academic misconduct. Even students with pure intentions may be found guilty, putting their academic and professional careers in jeopardy.

Pomona College’s Academic Honesty Policy

Pomona College is an academic community that expects all members to abide by ethical standards in their conduct and exercise of responsibility toward other members. The institution expects students to comprehend and adhere to basic standards of honesty and integrity when it comes to academics. These standards include:

-Students never represent the ideas or language of others as their own.
-Students don’t destroy or alter either the work of other students or the educational resources/materials.
-Neither give nor receive assistance during examinations.
-Do not represent work completed for one course as original work for another or deliberately disregard course rules.
-Accurately report observed data without altering them for any reason.

If instructors notice any violation regarding these standards, they should report it immediately. Instructors will make the evidence available to the student while reporting it to the Dean of Students. Any student accused of violating any of the standards mentioned above is considered to have committed “academic dishonesty.”

Pomona College’s Procedures for Academic Dishonesty

If an instructor notices a violation of academic dishonesty, he or she will arrange a meeting with the student initially. If the case isn’t resolved between the two parties, involves special circumstances or represents a second instance of academic dishonesty, it will be referred to a Board of Academic Discipline. The board will convene a hearing.

Before the initial meeting between students and instructors, the Dean of Students has to inform students about their pre-hearing rights. These rights consist of:

-Being provided with a comprehensive, written charge sheet.
-Being informed that they have the right to have an advisor present during meetings with the dean and in hearings.
-Being informed about the academic honesty policy/their rights under that policy outlined in-student handbook.
-Provided with a copy of Student Handbook if they don’t already have one:

During the hearing itself, The Chair will call on instructors making complaints to make statements and present evidence while giving respondents an opportunity to provide opening statements and question instructors bringing charges. Witnesses come next in order as determined by The Chair while giving respondent opportunities to make final statements before closed deliberations. Afterwards, the Panel/Chair decides whether respondents violated Academic Honesty Policy & sanctions should be imposed.

Sanctions

When imposing sanctions during deliberations, consideration is given to various factors such as severity/precedent available/state-of-mind of mentioned student/past record & conditions where offense was committed. Sanctions that may be imposed include:

– Lowered grade on an assignment
– Loss of credit on an assignment
– “F” on an assignment
– “F” in the course
– Assignment of make-up or additional work
– Suspension from the College
– Loss of College honors
– Expulsion from the College 

Appeals Process for Students Accused of Academic Dishonesty

Students may appeal the decision of a Board of Academic Discipline to the Dean of the College. Filed withers have 5 days post-official notification date of sanctions letter to make an appeal request. The Dean may uphold The Board’s decisions/remand The Decision to The Board, possibly including comments that need further consideration before board finalizes or alters their verdict.

Why You Need An Attorney To Help You With Your Case

An academic misconduct violation can jeopardize your professional/academic goals. Getting in touch with a skilled student defense attorney such as Todd Spodek is a must if you want to preserve/demonstrate how much you value your investment into education and professional future. Attorney Todd Spodek has helped students who incurred serious academic misconduct charges recover from these allegations- he can do so for you too! Contact him today at 212-300-5196 for more information on how he can help YOU!