Academic misconduct

Receiving a letter doesn't mean that a final decision has been made. You have the right to dispute the allegation if you think it's incorrect. And you don't have to figure out how to do this on your own – Student Advocacy can support you throughout the process.

Your letter should include:

• the reason you've been sent an allegation of academic misconduct
• the severity of the charge
• whether you've had previous charges upheld
• the penalty that will be applied if the charge is upheld
• how to contest the charge.

You should also receive the evidence that the University has for the charge. If you don't, email your institute appeals team (you'll find the address in your letter) to request it.

Read the Academic Misconduct Determination Guidelines (PDF 270 KB) to learn more about severity levels and penalties.

Attending a hearing gives you the opportunity to explain what happened from your perspective and clarify the charge. It also allows you to either contest the penalty completely or request a lesser penalty. If you don't attend a hearing, the charge will be upheld and the penalty will be applied automatically.

To request a hearing, email your institute's appeals team.

Institute of Health and Wellbeing health.appeals@federation.edu.au
Institute of Education, Arts and Community educationarts.appeals@federation.edu.au
Institute of Innovation, Science and Sustainability iiss.appeals@federation.edu.au

Your response should describe the steps you took to complete the assessment in question and explain why you don't agree with the charge. You can also outline what you have done, or plan to do, to make sure you don't breach academic integrity standards again. Be sure to include evidence of any of the above and refer to this in your response.

Not sure how to start? Read Preparing for an Academic Misconduct Hearing (PDF 120 KB) for tips and ideas. 

You must email your response and any supporting documentation to your institute appeals team at least one working day before your hearing.

A hearing is a conversation between you and your institute's academic integrity officer. They’ll outline the concerns raised and refer to the evidence that was sent to you. You’ll then have the opportunity to explain your perspective, ask questions and clarify anything that’s unclear. The academic integrity officer can't present new evidence during the hearing; if they do, this may be grounds for appeal.

We encourage you to take a support person to your hearing. They can't act as a legal professional or speak (unless invited to do so by the chair), but they may take notes and debrief with you after your hearing. We also recommend that you agree to the hearing being recorded.