Academic misconduct hearing outcomes and penalties

If a Student Misconduct Panel finds in a hearing that you’ve engaged in academic misconduct, they’ll consider the seriousness of your offence, and/or whether you’ve been previously counselled for academic misconduct, when deciding on one or more of the penalties below.

Zero mark for your assessment

If a panel imposes a penalty of a zero mark for your assessment, this may affect your mark for your unit. A zero mark for a final assessment could even cause you to fail the unit.

Zero mark for your unit

If a panel imposes a penalty of a zero mark for your unit, a fail grade will appear on your transcript.

If you fail a unit, we strongly recommend that you get course advice.

Reprimand

A reprimand means that you receive a formal rebuke for your misconduct. This might happen, for example, if you show no remorse for what you’ve done.

Fine

A fine means that you’ll be required to pay the University a dollar amount based on the number of penalty units for your act of misconduct (pdf, 0.1 mb).

Consent penalty

A consent penalty requires you to perform a designated action or activity, such as completing an academic integrity quiz, by a date set by the Student Misconduct Panel.

A consent penalty can’t be imposed without your agreement. But if you don’t comply with a consent penalty – or respond to it – the panel may impose an alternative penalty.

Bear in mind that you still have the right to appeal a consent penalty on the grounds that it’s excessive even if you’ve complied with it.

Suspension

A suspension is a set period when you’re not allowed to enrol in any unit or course (even though you’re still a Monash student).

A suspension generally goes into effect once the appeal period has passed. Or, if you’ve already submitted an appeal, a suspension will go into effect if and when your appeal is dismissed. In exceptional circumstances, a Student Misconduct Panel may order a suspension to take effect immediately.

If you’re suspended, you can’t:

• attend any scheduled teaching activities or submit any assessments (including exams)
• sit a supplementary or deferred assessments – a deferred assessment will be rescheduled after the suspension period
• get any credit towards a unit or course without written permission of the Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching) of your managing faculty
• access various University learning systems and services (e.g. WES, graduation services, library services and my.monash).

But you can continue to access Monash counselling and health services while you’re suspended.

Exclusion

If you’re excluded, this means that you’re no longer permitted to study at the University and your enrolment is cancelled.

Suspended penalty

With a suspended penalty, your suspension or exclusion won’t take immediate effect and will only be imposed if you engage in another act of misconduct while enrolled in your Monash course.

Sometimes a panel may decide not to action a penalty providing you don’t again engage in misconduct at Monash. For example, the panel may decide to suspend you for a semester, but then put your suspension on hold – the suspension will only come into effect if you commit another act of misconduct.

If you feel that your penalty is too harsh, you have the right to appeal.

Notification of outcome

We’ll send the Notice of Decision to your Monash email address within seven University working days of the Student Misconduct Panel making its decision.