Cheating, disruptions and harassment
As a student, you are obliged to comply with the rules and regulations governing the operation and activities at Jönköping University (JU). This means, among other things, that cheating and disrupting the operation and activities may result in disciplinary measures such as, for example, a Warning or Suspension.
A fundamental rule for you, as a student at Jönköping University (JU), is: DO NOT CHEAT.
However, it may sometimes be difficult, particularly for new students, to know what requirements have been imposed and what is regarded as cheating. You should consequently make use of the opportunities available to get information through your course or study programme as well as via student support about what is applicable, for example, in respect of text citations and source references in essays and for examinations.
The Disciplinary and Expulsion Committee (DAN) at Jönköping University
The Disciplinary and Expulsion Committee at JU (DAN) comprises a Chair (who is an external attorney), a secretary, teacher representatives from each School and two student representatives. All representatives are appointed by the President. DAN usually meets once a month.
It is not a formal court, but DAN has a unique mandate in so far as it is this Committee alone that can decide whether a disciplinary measure is to be implemented. The purpose of DAN’s work is to affirm and ensure that students get an objective and thorough assessment in the event of a report concerning suspicions of plagiarism.
Students may be reported to DAN in the following situations
Students who are deceptive during the assessment of study performance – cheating
If DAN, after conducting an investigation, concludes that you, as a student, were knowingly deceptive during a test or other study performance, the Disciplinary Committee may consider this to be cheating and you may receive a disciplinary measure.
One example of cheating is using prohibited aids during an examination. This may, for example, be taking in a mobile phone, pieces of paper or unpermitted notes. Copying another person’s text, without stating that this is a quotation, may be regarded as cheating for unsupervised examinations or when writing essays.
Attempting to cheat is sufficient to result in a disciplinary measure. It may involve you bringing pieces of paper or a mobile phone into the examination with the intention of using them. You may be deemed liable even if you do not use the pieces of paper or phone.
It is particularly important to be aware during unsupervised examinations that helping someone else to cheat is also regarded as cheating. You may thus be the subject of a disciplinary measure if you permit another person to copy your own answers.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and understanding the information provided by JU as regards what is and what is not permitted at examinations, for essays, etc. Please note that different rules may apply for different examinations and course components. It is your responsibility to read and understand the information provided.
Students who disrupt or impede teaching, examinations or another activity within the framework of the courses and study programmes at the University
You may be reported if you breach the procedural rules for, for example, laboratory experiments and examinations, which could result in a disciplinary measure.
It is also regarded as disrupting the operation or activities to have your mobile phone, which sounds an alarm or rings, turned on during an ongoing examination.
Students who disrupt the operation or activities at the University’s library or another establishment at JU
The libraries have procedural rules and it is important that you follow them. Another form of disruption of the operation and activities is when the University’s computer network is used in an unpermitted way. Disrupting ongoing lectures and causing disruptions in corridors or a teacher’s office may also be viewed as disrupting the operation and activities.
Students who subject others to harassment
The harassment of students or employees at UK, within or outside the campus, constitutes grounds for making a report to DAN. The forms referred to are harassment owing to gender, transgender identity or expression, ethnic affiliation, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation or age. Sexual harassment can also be a disciplinary offence.
The process for those suspected of cheating
If you are suspected of cheating or another disciplinary offence, the process is as follows:
Report
If you are suspected of having breached any of the above-mentioned items, this will be reported to DAN. Suspicions relating to you must have a factual basis, although a limited factual basis may be sufficient for you to be reported. However, a purely subjective intuition is not sufficient as grounds for a report.
Employees (including examination invigilators) and students at JU can make reports to DAN. If a report about you is submitted to DAN, you will be informed that there this is a suspected disciplinary offence. Contact the Secretary of DAN if you have any questions.
There is the possibility of closing a matter without it being submitted to DAN. The student may then be notified of this via the University’s email.
Investigation
The Secretary of DAN will notify the student of the suspected disciplinary offence at an early stage of the investigation and you, as a student, will be afforded an opportunity to report in writing on your position regarding what was stated in the report.
The student who has been reported will also be invited to attend DAN’s meeting when your matter is being dealt with. You will then have the opportunity to clarify your perception of what occurred verbally and in person.
The Committee is afforded an opportunity during the meeting to ask questions to both you, as the student, and the representative of your School. The Committee normally has a separate deliberation after the meeting and makes a final decision in the matter. The student will receive DAN’s decision in writing via the University’s email, sent within a week of the decision being made.
Disciplinary measures
The disciplinary measures are (1) a Warning, (2 and 3) Suspension or Expulsion
- A Warning decision means that you have received a disciplinary measure.
- Suspension from Examination which means that the Student may not participate in an examination or any other assessment of study performance for the period of time specified in the decision.
- A Suspension decision means that the student may not attend any form of activity within the framework of the education at JU for the period of the suspension. This means that you are prohibited from participating in teaching, exams or seminars. You will be suspended from studies for at least two weeks but for no more than six months.
If the Disciplinary Committee decides on Suspension or a Warning, you, as a student, can appeal against the decision to the Board of Appeals at JU (HJÖN).
