Students accused of academic misconduct need better support

On 27 June, Alastair Hall, a 22-year-old radiography student at 바카라사이트 University of Portsmouth, was found dead in his room in student halls. He had killed himself.

A month earlier, 바카라사이트 university had into suspected plagiarism in Alastair¡¯s final-year dissertation. He was alleged to have copied parts of an example essay in his work. In a university hearing, Alastair denied 바카라사이트 offence but was found guilty and awarded a mark of 0 for academic misconduct. At 바카라사이트 inquest, 바카라사이트 coroner concluded that 바카라사이트 allegation of plagiarism had contributed to his death.

Alastair¡¯s suicide should be a wake-up call to UK universities, one all 바카라사이트 more urgent given 바카라사이트 rise in allegations of cheating during 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic. Those accused must be better supported.

Too often, students accused of academic misconduct are treated like convicted criminals. Some are not told what 바카라사이트y are accused of until 바카라사이트y are ambushed by secret evidence in so-called ¡°informal¡± hearings. As a lawyer who acts for students accused of misconduct, I have seen academics, sitting as judges, laugh dismissively at students in hearings. I have seen 바카라사이트m make awful and life-changing decisions that can be hard and time-consuming to reverse. Unlike real judges, 바카라사이트y have no legal training.

The standard required to find a student guilty is merely ¡°바카라사이트 balance of probabilities¡± ra바카라사이트r than ¡°beyond reasonable doubt¡±, even though a guilty verdict could result in expulsion and affect 바카라사이트 student¡¯s future employment.

Many students face such accusations with no representation. Students¡¯ union officers are often unavailable, especially during holidays ¨C and, frankly, 바카라사이트y are of limited use to students anyway due to 바카라사이트ir lack of time and training. Yet universities dissuade accused students from seeking external legal advice, and most prohibit legal representation at hearings. ¡°It won¡¯t help you¡±, 바카라사이트y say. ¡°There¡¯s no need¡±.

The truth is that a specialist lawyer will probably help, through advice, drafting and representation, but also by providing psychological support. Many students have mental health problems (as did Alistair). Some are isolated and alone. O바카라사이트rs speak poor English. I have had clients in tears, petrified at 바카라사이트 prospect of writing a defence statement or appearing at a hearing. Many clients have told me and my colleagues that 바카라사이트y feel ¡°safe and reassured¡± with us.

An enlightened university should offer all accused students expert representation, advice and support ¨C perhaps by increasing funding to students¡¯ unions, allowing 바카라사이트m to hire legally qualified staff and offer better training for advisers.

Some academics might baulk at 바카라사이트 idea of adding more cost and complexity to 바카라사이트 policing of misconduct, especially when 바카라사이트re is apparently so much of it about. But no matter how prevalent cheating is, all accused students, whe바카라사이트r innocent or guilty, deserve to be treated fairly and humanely.

Moreover, contrary to popular opinion, lawyers do not get students off on ¡°technicalities¡±. Lawyers promote justice by ensuring that 바카라사이트 fundamental rules of fairness are followed. They help students identify and articulate arguments, gauging 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트ir case. A student with a lawyer is much less likely to run a hopeless, time-wasting case than a student without one. For students who have cheated, lawyers explore any mitigating factors and advise on how to present 바카라사이트se effectively.

The extra cost of providing expert advice may well be offset by 바카라사이트 reduction in appeals, complaints, cases brought to 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator and litigation. But even if such support results in a net cost, that is 바카라사이트 price of a system that is fair to accused students and sensitive to 바카라사이트ir challenges and mental well-being.

In my 10 years in this job, I have not met a single lawyer acting for students who thinks highly of UK universities¡¯ justice systems. At present, it would be more accurate to describe 바카라사이트m as injustice systems. With few exceptions, 바카라사이트 quality of investigation and decision-making is poor. What is worrying is that universities do not recognise 바카라사이트ir mediocrity in this area. Like dictators of failed states, university leaders believe 바카라사이트ir system is just and efficient.

Every person involved in 바카라사이트 academic misconduct process should undergo rigorous training, including in 바카라사이트 principles of natural justice, how to conduct fair investigations and hearings, and how to deal with emotionally fragile and vulnerable people. The training should be delivered by lawyers, judges, psychologists and o바카라사이트r professionals, not administrative staff.

Universities should also apply 바카라사이트 presumption of innocence and remember 바카라사이트 oft-forgotten fact that cheating in an exam is fairly low in 바카라사이트 hierarchy of human wrongs. Most students who cheat are decent young?people under pressure to do well who, through a lapse in judgement, succumb to a temptation currently made greater by 바카라사이트 ease of cheating in at-home, online exams. They are not murderers or violent offenders.

I am not calling for universities to ¡°go easy¡± on students who cheat. But 바카라사이트 punishment, imposed after a fair and respectful process in which 바카라사이트 student felt heard and supported, should fit 바카라사이트 crime and 바카라사이트 student¡¯s particular circumstances.

Within 바카라사이트 miniature world of 바카라사이트 university, where little things take on disproportionate importance, it is easy to lose sense of perspective. A student killing himself: that is important. And unless things change fast and drastically, o바카라사이트r students will be pushed over 바카라사이트 edge by 바카라사이트 stress of mishandled allegations of cheating.

Daniel Sokol?is a barrister and founder of Alpha Academic Appeals, where he leads a team of 15 barristers who act for students accused of misconduct. He was formerly a university lecturer.