<p>So, I just got a quiz back today that was taken on Monday before thanksgiving break. However when our professor was handing back tests, he mentioned that there were numerous suspected cases of academic dishonesty (aka cheating). I am a freshman here in college and the quiz was over some reading that I did, and although I bombed it, nearly everybody at my table got the same score. Now, I’m assuming I’m going to be one of those kids who is going to get called for this, but the thing is I didn’t cheat. When I looked around after the quiz, I realized that three of eight of my answers were the same as my neighbors, and although this represents .25% of our grade, my teacher takes it very seriously. I actually did the reading whereas nearly 80% of the class didn’t (and although it didn’t reflect in my score). In addition, there is no reason for me to cheat, I have a 97 in the class and the kid who I believed cheated on me is retaking the class. I have talked to the professor about how my team does little work and it usually all falls down on me and I have contacted the dean about the same thing thinking that she might be able to give me some inspiration. But my teacher mentioned that kids accused of cheating get immediately expelled from engineering school and most likely the college. Engineering has been the one thing I’ve wanted to do my whole life, and I don’t think of be able to live with myself if I couldn’t be one. And I couldn’t imagine having to face my parents either, both very esteemed individuals. Please, help me. I need it.</p>
<p>Two questions:
- What makes you think that your table is going to be accused of cheating? I would think that if the entire class bombs an exam, it would be those individuals who did exceptionally well who might be looked at more closely. If all the table had exactly the same answers, someone could have been cheating off of you…without you knowing it.
- >>>But my teacher mentioned that kids accused of cheating get immediately expelled from engineering school and most likely the college. <<< I doubt that an accusation alone would result in an expulsion, but rather rather there is some judicial or quasi-judicial process. I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the process to help defend yourself, if not by yourself, with your parents or potentially an attorney…</p>
<p>Yeah, if you didn’t cheat, then just stick to that story. It is not your fault if someone stoops and cheats off of you. Don’t worry and stick by your integrity.</p>
<p>Why are you so convinced you will be accused of cheating if you bombed the quiz and only 3 of your answers matched your neighbor? Really, the only way that doing poorly can look like cheating is if multiple people have the same answer and it is wrong in a very peculiar way.</p>
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<p>Contacted the dean? That is a really bad idea. At best, you will likely just annoy the dean.</p>
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<p>As mentioned before, there will certainly be some form of due process. No one gets expelled for being accused of cheating.</p>
<p>I’m agreeing with what has been said. If they expelled you for a simple accusation of cheating while realizing that it very well could be untrue, that wouldn’t make any sense. It wont happen. You may be confronted in some way about the situation, but I doubt it will go much further than that.</p>