As an experienced Westchester School Discipline Attorney, I am often asked by clients about students cheating in college. In a college setting one of the measures that are taken by the administration is to have the student come in for questioning and meet with an official from the school. It could be, for example, a dean of the school or somebody in the personnel department. Each school is different in terms of what their procedures are, but generally speaking, in these settings, the student is not permitted to bring in a representative or even a family member. The goal of the meeting often times from the school perspective is to get the students take of what happened and hear what the student has to say, in order to make a credibility decision as to whether they believe the student or they believe something different from what the student is telling them.
Of course, once the student goes in and gives a statement those statements are already of record and nothing can be done to retract those, so it’s really important upfront before the student goes and meets with the school official that you do obtain legal advice. Legal advice is going to pertain to how the student should present himself or herself at that meeting, what if anything the student should say at that meeting, also to help the student form persuasive arguments in defense of the charges. If necessary, evidence should be provided that the student may have and maybe there is documentation, or maybe the student has some type of eyewitness or another person that is not necessarily a student in the school that can provide information to the school that will helpfully help defend that charge. It’s very important to get all that information compiled in a constructive way and in an organized way, and in a manner which you can present in an effective way so as to make your case of not being suspended or not being dismissed from that school.
Are a college student accused of cheating? Contact our Westchester School Discipline Attorney for guidance.
This informational blog post was provided by Kim Berg, an experienced Westchester, New York Student Discipline Attorney.
