Johns Hopkins University Student Conduct & Academic Misconduct Defense

Johns Hopkins is heavily decentralized, each major division (Homewood undergraduate, Public Health, Medicine, Nursing, SAIS, Peabody) maintains its own academic ethics code and board, creating substantially different experiences across divisions

Sanctions are generally cumulative in nature, prior violations meaningfully influence subsequent outcomes

The first-offense direct-resolution option with the faculty member is explicit and allows bypassing the Ethics Board, but signing the resolution agreement waives appeal rights entirely

Students have exactly 5 business days from receipt to sign a resolution agreement, a tight deliberation window

Homewood (Krieger + Whiting) shares a single Undergraduate Academic Ethics Board, reflecting the joint undergraduate community across the two schools

Research misconduct is specifically defined as fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing, reviewing, or reporting research, a narrower definition than course-level academic misconduct

The Office of Student Conduct oversees the Academic Ethics Process but defers to the Academic Ethics Boards for determinations

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Bloomberg School Academic Ethics Code process

Public health students are subject to the Bloomberg School's separate Academic Ethics Code.

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

JHU School of Medicine Honor Code and Student Promotions Committee

Medical students face academic progression and professionalism review through the School of Medicine.

Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

School of Nursing Academic Integrity Policy

Nursing students are subject to a separate professional ethics policy.

Johns Hopkins SAIS (Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies)

SAIS academic integrity procedures

SAIS graduate students face additional integrity review through SAIS-specific policies.

Graduate programs (Homewood)

Graduate Academic Misconduct Policy (WSE/KSAS)

Graduate students in the Whiting School of Engineering and Krieger School of Arts and Sciences follow the Graduate Academic Misconduct Policy (2018 version).

Who handles academic misconduct cases at JHU?

Homewood Undergraduate Academic Ethics Board (Krieger School / Whiting School) has jurisdiction over academic misconduct matters at JHU. For Homewood undergraduates (Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and Whiting School of Engineering), the Undergraduate Academic Ethics Board adopts procedures for responding to infractions of academic ethics. The Office of Student Conduct oversees the Academic Ethics Process. Other divisions (Public Health, Nursing, Medicine, SAIS, Peabody) maintain their own division-specific ethics codes and boards. Academic ethics violations under the Homewood Undergraduate Academic Ethics Policy and division-specific ethics codes at JHU's various schools.

What is the evidence standard at JHU?

JHU applies Preponderance of the evidence (JHU's standard for academic ethics findings) under Johns Hopkins Homewood Undergraduate Academic Ethics Policy (plus division-specific ethics codes at Public Health, Nursing, SAIS, Medicine, Peabody). Homewood Undergraduate Academic Ethics Board (Krieger School / Whiting School) 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.

What rights do I have during a JHU conduct proceeding?

Under Johns Hopkins Homewood Undergraduate Academic Ethics Policy (plus division-specific ethics codes at Public Health, Nursing, SAIS, Medicine, Peabody), students facing a Homewood Undergraduate Academic Ethics Board (Krieger School / Whiting School) proceeding have specific procedural rights, including the right to written notice of the alleged violation and the charges; 5 business days from receipt of a resolution agreement form to decide whether to sign; decline the resolution agreement and proceed to the Academic Ethics Board hearing; an advisor during the Board process. Exercising these rights correctly from the first notice can materially affect the outcome of your case.

How is an academic misconduct case initiated at JHU?

A faculty member who suspects academic misconduct may, in consultation with the Office of Student Conduct, choose to resolve the case directly with the student if it is a first offense. If the faculty member and student reach an agreement, the faculty member provides a resolution agreement form outlining charges, summary of information, findings, and agreed sanctions. The student has 5 business days from the date of receipt to sign the resolution agreement form.

What sanctions can JHU impose for academic misconduct?

Homewood Undergraduate Academic Ethics Board (Krieger School / Whiting School) can impose a range of sanctions depending on the violation, including formal warning, grade sanctions at the course level, 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.

Can I appeal a decision at JHU?

Yes. For cases resolved through the Ethics Board, appeals proceed under the Board's procedures. However, once a student signs a resolution agreement directly with the faculty member, there are no further avenues for appeal, this is a critical procedural consequence of the direct-resolution option. Appeal grounds typically include procedural error during the board's review, new information not reasonably available at the time of the hearing, sanction disproportionate to the finding. 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.

Can I bring an advisor to my JHU hearing?

Yes. Under Johns Hopkins Homewood Undergraduate Academic Ethics Policy (plus division-specific ethics codes at Public Health, Nursing, SAIS, Medicine, Peabody), students have the right to an advisor during the board process. AdvocatED can serve as that advisor and help you prepare your response, question witnesses where allowed, and navigate JHU's specific procedural rules. What an advisor can and cannot do varies from school to school, and at JHU the rules are set out in the governing policy.

Do I need a lawyer for a JHU Homewood Undergraduate Academic Ethics Board (Krieger School / Whiting School) proceeding?

In most cases, no. JHU's proceedings follow university policy under Johns Hopkins Homewood Undergraduate Academic Ethics Policy (plus division-specific ethics codes at Public Health, Nursing, SAIS, Medicine, Peabody), not the legal system. What you need is someone who understands JHU'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.

How does JHU handle Title IX cases?

JHU handles Title IX matters separately from general academic misconduct, through the Johns Hopkins Office of Institutional Equity (Title IX Coordinator). Sex-based misconduct and Title IX complaints are handled through the Office of Institutional Equity under JHU's separate sexual misconduct policies, not through the Academic Ethics Boards. Title IX proceedings have their own procedures, evidence standards, and timelines. If you are a respondent in a Title IX case at JHU, you should not conflate the process with general conduct cases, and you should respond carefully to any notice you receive.

Does JHU's Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have a separate conduct process?

Yes. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health at JHU is handled through Bloomberg School Academic Ethics Code process, which is distinct from the general university conduct process. Public health students are subject to the Bloomberg School's separate Academic Ethics Code. This matters because professional school findings carry licensure implications, and the remediation and appeal pathways are different from the undergraduate process.

What are the most common academic misconduct violations at JHU?

At JHU, the most frequently cited violations include: plagiarism on written work; cheating on exams or assessments; unauthorized collaboration on individual assignments; fabrication of data or research results (including research misconduct). 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.

What are the key deadlines in a JHU conduct case?

At JHU, the most consequential deadlines are: Resolution agreement sign-off: 5 business days from receipt of the resolution agreement form; Ethics Board appeals: per Board-specific procedures and outcome letter deadlines. Missing any of these windows can eliminate procedural options that are otherwise available. If you have received a notice from Homewood Undergraduate Academic Ethics Board (Krieger School / Whiting School), document the dates on the notice immediately and calendar every deadline, even ones that do not seem urgent.