UTS plagiarism, cheating or AI misconduct: what to do

Read the letter and check what it asks

Read the letter you received from UTS. For a plagiarism allegation, the pages we read say the Responsible Academic Officer of your faculty sends the letter to your UTS student email if evidence is found. The letter may ask you to attend a meeting. Read it for the date, the allegation, the material referred to and what response UTS asks for. Keep a copy of the letter and any documents you submit. If English is your second language, read slowly and ask the UTS Students' Association under Free help to explain a term if you need that.

For a plagiarism allegation, the pages we read say you get a reasonable period of not less than five working days to respond in writing. The pages we read do not state what starts that period, so check your letter for the date UTS uses. The pages we read do not give a response time for other misconduct matters. Check your own letter and the university's page, or confirm the deadline with UTS. Do not guess a deadline from another matter.

What happens with a plagiarism allegation

For a plagiarism allegation, you can admit, deny or not respond. The RAO then reviews your response and determines the outcome and penalty. If the allegation is not proven, the decision is noted in your confidential student record and your assessment is marked and feedback is provided. If the allegation is proven, the pages we read say penalties are determined by two factors: whether you have been involved in a previous breach, and whether there is clear evidence of intentional deception. The pages we read do not give the penalty list for a proven plagiarism allegation, so read the decision letter and the rules that apply to your matter.

The notice process described in the pages we read includes a redacted copy of the supporting evidence, limited to privacy issues, and a copy of or electronic link to the relevant rules and guidelines. Redacted means edited to remove some private information. Check what your own notice includes. If a document is missing or a condition is not clear, ask UTS Students' Association to help you identify the question to put to UTS. If you send a response, keep it factual and keep a copy.

Meetings, support people and AI allegations

If the RAO asks you to attend a meeting in a plagiarism matter, you are entitled to bring a support person. The RAO may place limitations on the support person's role. The pages we read say a support person is not permitted to act as an advocate or legal representative unless the RAO determines that exceptional circumstances warrant it. Check the meeting details in your letter and write down what you want to say. You can ask the support person to take notes if the RAO allows that role.

Using generative AI tools for an assessment task where it has been specified that they are not to be used is listed as student misconduct. The pages we read do not set out a separate process for an unauthorised AI use allegation. Plagiarism is generally dealt with by the faculty. If your letter refers to AI use, check the wording carefully and ask the UTS Students' Association about the process named in your letter.

Penalties and appeal deadline

The pages we read give a penalty list for a centrally conducted exam case only. That list includes a decision added to your student record, reduced mark, re-do with a reduced mark, zero and fail assessment or subject, reprimand, suspension from UTS or exclusion from UTS. Do not read that list as the penalty list for a plagiarism allegation. The pages we read do not give that list.

If you receive a misconduct decision and want to appeal, the pages we read say an appeal must be lodged within 20 working days after notice of the decision. For matters subject to the University's Gender-based Violence Prevention and Response Policy and Gender-based Violence Response Procedure, the deadline is 5 working days after notice. The appeal must be in writing, specify and substantiate the grounds and be lodged with the Director, Governance Support Unit. Check the decision letter and the rules for the grounds that apply. Talk to the UTS Students' Association under Free help before you decide what to do.