What You Need to Know About Facing Academic Integrity Charges at UC San Diego

If you or someone you love is facing accusations of academic integrity violation at the University of San Diego, it’s crucial to understand what this means and the potential consequences. Allegations can threaten all the hard work and effort it took for you or your loved one to get into college, and may lead to severe penalties depending on the severity of the situation. Therefore, it’s important not to admit guilt without first contacting an attorney-advisor who can support navigating through the university’s process. Even if you appeal sanctions, admission of guilt leaves a negative mark on your academic record that cannot be rubbed out easily.

What Counts as an Academic Integrity Violation at UC San Diego?

The UCSD Policy on Integrity of Scholarship describes what constitutes academic integrity violation in detail. Though the policy avoids general statements such as “bribe” or “cheat.” Still, it does specify particularly troublesome behaviours straightforwardly. The foundation on which academic integrity stands is that each student accepts responsibility for:

– Submitting academic work that reflects their knowledge and abilities honestly and fairly.
– Following institutional guidelines and course standards.
– Not engaging in activities that undermine academic integrity or violates it for others’ benefit.

Seven points outline any conduct that violates these principles, including submitting someone else’s work as your own, adjusting graded assignments before resubmitting them, and acquiring assignment/take-home test answers outside the instructor’s permission.

Which Disciplinary Procedure Applies in Your Case?

Outstanding case procedures from 2019/2020 follow 2019/2020 UC San Diego Senate Integrity of Scholarship Policy unless opting for newer legislation. In contrast, procedures altered after September 2020 apply to recent cases; several procedural differences exist between these proceedings. For instance, under previous protocols (2019/2020), students have five business days to appeal a sanction or AIR; ten business days under today’s statute apply. Moreover, in some cases, remote learning with COVID-19 allows instructor-student resolutions via email instead of requiring a meeting and form.

To decide what approach suits you best (if your case applies to AY 2019/2020), check this helpful chart.

What is the Academic Integrity Review Board?

An AIRB is an administrative event that resolves whether violating academic integrity was more likely than not. The board only convenes when students dispute charges of academic integrity violation if the instructor doesn’t withdraw their allegations. Two types of AIRS exist at UC San Diego:

1. AIR I: These informal hearings deal with students who aren’t facing expulsion or separation from the university are typically closed meetings that don’t require participants’ presence.

2. AIR II: These formal hearings deliberate on students who may separate from school, where document review occurs and permits “presentation of documents and witnesses” as well as “cross-examination of witnesses presented by the university.”

The result neither recommends nor changes sanctions nor regards character or intention.

What Are Possible Sanctions?

UC San Diego has established a range of potential sanctions against academic integrity violation that depends on its severity level. Nevertheless, every breach contains at least three components; first, they require you to pay an administrative fee ($50) posted to your account. Next, students need complete academic integrity training through Canvas after finishing three prerequisites within ten days; courses ranging from Strategies and Tools to Prevent Plagiarism, How To Paraphrase Effectively (Writing with Sources) or AI Seminar are available along with collaborating with integrity that ends with an assessment.

Thirdly, disciplinary action involves sanctioning procedures detailing a point system designed “to ensure consistent and fair sanctioning across the university.” Criteria for points include history violations, violation extent which ranges from 1-32 points depending upon individual situations like past violation; student tenure at UCSD, assessment value, and supplemental considerations. Possible sanctions vary from written reprimand, probation until graduation, suspension for a quarter, year’s suspension or dismissal.

Repeat violations receive higher penalties than previous ones, regardless of the score.

Moreover, grade reduction is also part of the sanction; instructors can remove class assignment scores to flunking students with failing grades- these marks remain on the GPA even if students repeat the course.

Best Academic Integrity Defense Attorney-Advisor

Legal proceedings when accused of academic integrity charges at UCSD are often confusing as they follow various codes of conduct and procedural codes. You must have professionals fighting for your due process rights given what is at stake. Todd Spodek has assisted many individuals across the country facing academic integrity allegations. Contact Spodek Law Group today online or via phone (888.535.3686) and employ their professional help to navigate through this difficult time convincingly.