Massachusetts · Private University
Facing a Academic Conduct Committee (of the individual school or college) proceeding? AdvocatED advisors know BU's specific process under Boston University Academic Conduct Code.
If you just received notice
Governing Policy
The Academic Conduct Committee applies a preponderance-of-evidence standard in determining responsibility, consistent with BU's general student conduct framework
Violations of the BU Academic Conduct Code. Non-academic conduct is handled under the Code of Student Responsibilities by the Dean of Students. Sexual misconduct and Title IX are handled through the Equal Opportunity Office.
Who Decides Your Case
Each BU school or college (College of Arts & Sciences, College of General Studies, College of Communication, Questrom School of Business, etc.) has its own Academic Conduct Committee composed of students, faculty, and staff. The committee has jurisdiction over all charges of academic misconduct brought against students in its courses.
When an instructor suspects academic misconduct, the case is referred to the Dean's office of the student's school for investigation. The Dean may resolve the case administratively or refer it to the school's Academic Conduct Committee. In CAS, for example, charges such as cheating on examinations, theft of examinations, plagiarism, alteration of work after submission, or alteration of records are referred to the CAS Dean's office.
The Chair of the Academic Conduct Committee administers the hearing to promote fairness. The hearing includes: presentation of charges by the committee chair; presentation and examination of material evidence and witnesses by the committee and by the student charged with academic misconduct (excluding material relevant to sanctions to be imposed until after a finding of responsibility). The committee deliberates privately and issues a decision.
Students who wish to appeal a decision of the Academic Conduct Committee may do so to the designated Dean. The decision of the designated Dean should be upheld unless it appears on appeal that the decision was unreasonable and unfair. A rehearing will be ordered only if new evidence is presented or a procedural error is identified.
Grounds for appeal:
Drawn directly from Boston University Academic Conduct Code.
BU decentralizes academic conduct to each school or college, CAS, Questrom, CGS, COM, and others each have their own Academic Conduct Committee with jurisdiction over their students' cases
Reprimand, Disciplinary Probation, Suspension, and Expulsion are sanctions that can only be imposed by an Academic Conduct Committee, an instructor cannot unilaterally impose these
Hearings are audio-recorded, and the student has the right to a copy of the recording, all considered materials, and the committee's report if they choose to appeal, creating a complete record for appellate review
Sanction-relevant evidence is excluded from the committee's examination until after a finding of responsibility is made, a procedural protection that separates liability from penalty
The appeal standard ('unreasonable and unfair') is deferential to the committee's original decision, with rehearing only ordered on new evidence or procedural error
Academic Conduct Committees include students alongside faculty and staff, providing peer representation in decisions
Cheating on examinations
Theft of examinations or exam materials
Plagiarism on written work
Alteration of work after submission
Alteration of academic records
Unauthorized collaboration on individual assignments
Unauthorized AI use on graded work
Fabrication of data or sources
Facilitating academic dishonesty by another student
Professional and graduate programs often have their own adjudication bodies, separate from the main university conduct process.
BU Law School Honor Code
Law students are subject to a separate Honor Code administered within the School of Law.
Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Student Promotions Committee
Medical students face academic progression and professionalism review through the Medical School in addition to any university-level misconduct review.
Goldman School of Dental Medicine Student Promotions Committee
Dental students face academic progression and professionalism review through GSDM.
BU Equal Opportunity Office (Title IX Coordinator)
Sex-based misconduct and Title IX complaints are handled through the Equal Opportunity Office under BU's Sexual Misconduct/Title IX Policy, separately from the Academic Conduct Code.
Boston University is a large private research university in Boston's Back Bay and Fenway neighborhoods. Its school-by-school Academic Conduct Committee structure, with each of the undergraduate and graduate schools running its own committee, means the specific committee composition and procedural nuance a student faces depends substantially on their enrolled school.
Hearing preparation for Boston University Academic Conduct Code cases, including plagiarism, cheating, and unauthorized AI use.
Learn more →Strategic coaching and preparation for presenting your case before Academic Conduct Committee (of the individual school or college).
Learn more →Building a compelling appeal through BU's appellate process on the grounds that fit your case.
Learn more →Navigating BU Equal Opportunity Office (Title IX Coordinator) investigations and hearings.
Learn more →Topic-specific guides that cover the situations BU students most commonly face.
Academic Conduct Committee (of the individual school or college) has jurisdiction over academic misconduct matters at BU. Each BU school or college (College of Arts & Sciences, College of General Studies, College of Communication, Questrom School of Business, etc.) has its own Academic Conduct Committee composed of students, faculty, and staff. The committee has jurisdiction over all charges of academic misconduct brought against students in its courses. Violations of the BU Academic Conduct Code. Non-academic conduct is handled under the Code of Student Responsibilities by the Dean of Students. Sexual misconduct and Title IX are handled through the Equal Opportunity Office.
BU applies The Academic Conduct Committee applies a preponderance-of-evidence standard in determining responsibility, consistent with BU's general student conduct framework under Boston University Academic Conduct Code. Academic Conduct Committee (of the individual school or college) uses this standard when determining whether a student is responsible for an alleged violation. The evidence standard is critical because it determines how strong the evidence must be before a finding of responsibility can be made.
Under Boston University Academic Conduct Code, students facing a Academic Conduct Committee (of the individual school or college) proceeding have specific procedural rights, including the right to written notice of the charges; a hearing before the Academic Conduct Committee of their school; present evidence and examine witnesses; have an advisor present during proceedings. Exercising these rights correctly from the first notice can materially affect the outcome of your case.
When an instructor suspects academic misconduct, the case is referred to the Dean's office of the student's school for investigation. The Dean may resolve the case administratively or refer it to the school's Academic Conduct Committee. In CAS, for example, charges such as cheating on examinations, theft of examinations, plagiarism, alteration of work after submission, or alteration of records are referred to the CAS Dean's office.
Academic Conduct Committee (of the individual school or college) can impose a range of sanctions depending on the violation, including grading penalty imposed by the instructor, reprimand, disciplinary probation, and more serious outcomes including suspension and expulsion. The specific sanction depends on the facts, the student's prior record, and any mitigating factors presented during the proceeding. Sanction-phase advocacy is often as important as the responsibility phase, since even a first finding can carry long-term consequences on transcripts and graduate school applications.
Yes. Students who wish to appeal a decision of the Academic Conduct Committee may do so to the designated Dean. The decision of the designated Dean should be upheld unless it appears on appeal that the decision was unreasonable and unfair. A rehearing will be ordered only if new evidence is presented or a procedural error is identified. Appeal grounds typically include the decision was unreasonable and unfair on the record before the committee, new evidence not reasonably available at the time of the hearing, procedural error that affected the outcome. The specific appeal deadline is set out in the outcome letter, and it is usually short, often 5 to 10 business days from the date of the decision.
Yes. Under Boston University Academic Conduct Code, students have the right to have an advisor present during proceedings. AdvocatED can serve as that advisor and help you prepare your response, question witnesses where allowed, and navigate BU's specific procedural rules. What an advisor can and cannot do varies from school to school, and at BU the rules are set out in the governing policy.
In most cases, no. BU's proceedings follow university policy under Boston University Academic Conduct Code, not the legal system. What you need is someone who understands BU's specific procedures, the evidence standard, and how sanctions are assessed. An education advocate typically provides stronger, more targeted guidance than a general-practice attorney because the body of law here is university policy, not criminal or civil procedure. AdvocatED brings deep, specialized expertise in these exact processes at a fraction of a law firm's cost.
BU handles Title IX matters separately from general academic misconduct, through the BU Equal Opportunity Office (Title IX Coordinator). Sex-based misconduct and Title IX complaints are handled through the Equal Opportunity Office under BU's Sexual Misconduct/Title IX Policy, separately from the Academic Conduct Code. Title IX proceedings have their own procedures, evidence standards, and timelines. If you are a respondent in a Title IX case at BU, you should not conflate the process with general conduct cases, and you should respond carefully to any notice you receive.
Yes. BU School of Law at BU is handled through BU Law School Honor Code, which is distinct from the general university conduct process. Law students are subject to a separate Honor Code administered within the School of Law. This matters because professional school findings carry licensure implications, and the remediation and appeal pathways are different from the undergraduate process.
At BU, the most frequently cited violations include: cheating on examinations; theft of examinations or exam materials; plagiarism on written work; alteration of work after submission. Knowing which violation is alleged is the foundation of an effective defense, because the response strategy differs substantially based on whether the case involves plagiarism, AI use, exam cheating, collaboration, or a procedural technicality.
At BU, the most consequential deadlines are: Appeal deadlines are set in the outcome letter and vary by school; Access to materials/recording/report is provided upon appeal initiation. Missing any of these windows can eliminate procedural options that are otherwise available. If you have received a notice from Academic Conduct Committee (of the individual school or college), document the dates on the notice immediately and calendar every deadline, even ones that do not seem urgent.
The procedural details on this page come directly from BU's own published policies and official university resources.
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