Being invited to an Academic Conduct Officer meeting does not automatically mean you have done anything wrong. The main purpose of these meetings is to talk about concerns and, if you made any mistakes, help you understand where you went wrong.
I have been called to a meeting with an Academic Conduct Officer (ACO), how can I prepare for this meeting?
We have advice here on how to prepare for the different types of misconduct cases.
If you're not sure what has gone wrong, look through the assessment and the Turnitin report, which you will usually have been sent. Are there any places where you may have forgotten to reference or use your own words? Are there any unusual sentences or references that may have led the marker to question whether you wrote it?
Get in touch with ASK if you are struggling to understand what might be wrong and we can work through this with you.
General Checklist - Read the allegation carefully
- Re-read the assessment instructions
- Remind yourself of your work
- Gather evidence and send it to the Academic Conduct Officer
- Send evidence of Exceptional Circumstances (if applicable)
- Contact ASK for advice if needed
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What will happen at the meeting?
- You will be told about the process and the reason for the marker's concerns.
- You will have a chance to explain what happened.
- You can ask questions.
A decision won't be made until all the evidence is considered. You will usually have to wait a few days for your outcome letter.
What are the possible penalties?
The penalties for academic misconduct vary depending on the type of case and the number of cases you have had in the past. The possible penalties that can be applied are in the table on the University website.
You could be given a lower penalty if you had exceptional circumstances that led to the misconduct. If you would like to raise exceptional circumstances, you must send a statement and evidence before the meeting to explain what happened and how this affected your work.
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I am unhappy with the outcome of an academic misconduct case, what can I do?
In some circumstances, you may be able to appeal the decision. You will only be able to do this if you can satisfy one, or both, of the following grounds:
i) procedural irregularity in the conduct of the original investigations of the Academic Conduct Officer;
ii) extenuating circumstances, providing that these circumstances can be substantiated, and there is a valid reason why these were not made known at the time.
Information about appealing is on the Keele website.
I am on a professional course, what impact will this have on me?
If you are studying a professional course, a record of academic misconduct may have further implications. You should check your School handbook for further details if this applies to you.
Need Support? ASK can help you to prepare your case and may attend the meeting with you, if we think our support could be beneficial. |