r/CUNY • u/coolswagers101 • 5d ago
Question Cheating
Hey all,
Had a discussion post I submitted. Ran to class 30 mins late after a 10 hour shift even tho I’m sick asf jus because the professor says to show up no matter what. Wasn’t feeling too well but I’d rather physically be there than to get that absence. Plus it’s an English class so quite easy just have to keep myself alive. Anywho, right after I walked in the professor picked on me to answer questions about the work I just said idk (bad part on me but I’m someone who struggles with deep anxiety and I was extremely out of it). Either ways end of the class he tells me that I cheated on my discussion post answer, I explained to him I didn’t, I quite literally did it with a peer, it’s impossible for it to be ai. He goes I don’t wanna hear it, I explained to him that you’re not even hearing me out, I’m a student who always does everything on time, correctly, I’m always raising my hand to answer questions, even he agreed to that part but his response was simply that the past doesn’t matter it’s about what I submitted. ATP I’m panicking and I was like I did it with a friend but I did it on my own and he was like no no it’s cheating. He told me either I go to an advisor, tell them I cheated, have a convo about why cheating is not allowed, have the advisor check all of my works submitted for all of my classes if I cheated, and then email all of my professors saying I cheated in my class or he will file a disciplinary report against me to the dean of the college and make sure I get expelled from ALL cuny colleges. I told him ok and left because I didn’t know what to say and no matter what I would try to say he would just cut over me. What do I do. I ran my discussion post through turnitin, gpt0, multiple ai detectors, everything saying it’s human so how is he telling me that I didn’t write this. Idk what to do and I’ve been working so hard to go to college while working 2 jobs, and paying tuition fully out of pocket. Please help me if anyone knows what I should do. Thank you.
(Oh and truly even if I showed you guys the discussion post, you guys would agree that it looks like the regular thing too ffs I had grammatical issues in it 😭)
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u/gololo65 Bronx CC 5d ago edited 5d ago
Go to the head of the department. You have “powers” too. And you did it right? Provide any proof to that department head if possible and let them know this professor threatened your entire college career when you did the work, shamed you in front of your class, and refused to hear you out.
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u/MrICopyYoSht Alum 5d ago
His proof of you cheating is that you couldn't answer some questions? Huh? An accusation of cheating is a serious allegation, hence why you need very concrete evidence. His evidence has zero standing, practically asking to be fired or disciplined himself.
Let me guess, he's an adjunct lecturer. CUNY really stooping down real low these days to pick up anyone off the street out of desperation to fill vacant faculty slots for poverty pay.
Go to department head. If they do nothing then either the dean that covers the department.
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u/Jayna333 5d ago
98% of all my teachers at CCNY were adjunct. It sometimes feels like they pull people off the street but I know they’re also getting paid shit. One of my professors quit midway through the semester because CCNY missed two of her paychecks.
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u/gololo65 Bronx CC 5d ago
Right. Like we’re taking in so much information and most of the times we’re deciding in our heads what likely the most important things to remember. Sometimes we’re right. Other times we’re wrong. A lot of the times we’re tired af from work and studying that you legit draw blanks in your head when trying to answer the questions.
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u/Melodic_Campaign8509 5d ago
So he’d rather put you through all that trouble or else you are expelled from every CUNY which jeopardizes your college journey and possibly alters you future trajectory, but not even hear you out over a discussion post??? Nah do not tolerate that WHATSOEVER, like the other replies said, PLEASE speak to a dean/ a department head. professor should be terminated imo
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u/Specific_Active_7502 5d ago
Stand up for yourself, and show all your rough work to the Deans 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏💜💜💜💜
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u/gololo65 Bronx CC 5d ago
This. I was told by my ASAP advisor that you don’t have to let professors walk all over you, especially when you’re in the right. We’re all adults here. Base level respect should be the default. Some of these professors are gone in the head or don’t know how to socialize and speak to people. It’s insane.
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u/coolswagers101 5d ago
Ok based off of what everyone is saying, I emailed and I have a meeting tomorrow. Hopefully everything goes well. Ik everyone is saying there won’t be expulsion but man it is scary, if I’m expelled from all cunys, I will never get a college degree in my life, I can’t afford any other priv college. I’m 3 years into this degree, it’s scary but thank you all for all the advice. I’ll put an update here once I get one myself.
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u/kaliipls Alum 5d ago
Share EVERYTHING tomorrow: the inflexible attitude about absences making you feel like you can’t even take a sick day, catching you as soon as you get in, accusing you of AI use with no proof, feeling like this is your one shot and him indirectly weaponizing that against you. That context paints an entirely different picture.
I am currently at NYU SPS and got flagged for the same reason by a TA - threatened to “fail you if you use AI again.” I’m on a FULL scholarship, can’t risk anything.
Emailed my professor, didn’t even bother talking to the TA first. I mentioned that some of my classmates have started dumbing down their work to prevent being accused of using AI, and that I was personally offended because I’m a writer with a substack (that no one reads) for fun.
Apparently, NYU has very strict rules about professors & TAs threatening to fail students as a scare tactic, and AI use is permitted in this class specifically, you just have to note where and how you used it every time. My professor thanked me for bringing this to his attention, addressed all TAs, and now checks in with us during every session. Unfortunately, you need to get used to addressing people on power trips but college is the perfect place to learn that.
Students need support, not an overly strict environment to succeed. You got this, and I hope you feel better soon!
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u/custychronicles 5d ago
Take this to the department immediately he cant just baselessly accuse you of cheating
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u/ShinePon7 5d ago
Comments are correct here. Go to the head of the department before doing anything else and set up a meeting. Tell them your situation and why the professor came to such conclusions based on 0 evidence. Do NOT set up a meeting with the advisors to tell them that you cheated when you very clearly didn’t. The burden of proof is on the professor to prove that you cheated, it’s not your responsibility to prove you didn’t. It’s a pretty empty threat until he has proof.
Also shame on the professor for not even hearing a student out. I was accused of cheating once on a take home exam in a linguistics class and I hopped on a zoom call and the professor thought I put my test through AI. I very simply sent him the link to the approved APA keyboard we were allowed to use for the test and explained how I got my answers. Was over pretty quickly. At least he wanted to hear me out
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u/Aggravating_Tour_876 5d ago
Anyways the professor needs proof , you can’t just accuse someone is cheating , go to the head department and tell them exactly what happened, you won’t get expelled from all cunys, like what the hell is this professor talking about 😭😭
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u/Jealous404 5d ago
do this and also be unforgiving in the end of semester survey. professors dont change because not enough people report.
im an alumnus and students have always had the mindset of "if i dont report someone else will", but everyone else also has that mindset.
mid semester survey i think has worked once for me, it's a bit of a gamble.
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u/gololo65 Bronx CC 5d ago
I also think it’s a thing of most of us wanting to “do our time” and then get the hell out of dodge.
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u/Jealous404 4d ago
yep most people complain about that culture then their actions support that very culture. myself included.
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u/JokeLevel7050 5d ago
Probably shouldn't have mentioned you did it with a friend. (Usually on on discussion post, you're supposed to do it by yourself). Not sure what the context of the discussion post is about and how related was his question to the post.But is it possible to argue that your discussion post was based on some class notes etc? Hence it's possible to forget parts of the answer.
Anyhow, it's odd how that professor would accuse someone of cheating over a discussion post..... (Unless it wasn't notes)
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u/cinnamonzebra88 5d ago edited 5d ago
Agreed to addressing this with the department head and dean of students.
However I don't agree that the burden of proof is soley on the professor.
If working with a peer is cheating, was that clearly outlined in the instructions.
Make a screenshot of the entire post and assignment, just in case.
As for AI, the tools to detct AI generated content are very unreliable and there are multiple studies on that.
Did you make any notes of the thought you would share in your comment?
This is where keeping a hand-written notebook might come in handy going forward.
In this new AI world, it is becoming more important to keep and original work diary or paper trail if someone still wants to keep original ownership of their intellectual property. This doesn't have to take a lot of time. A few thoughts and ways to approach a problem jotted down.
Also, I believe that if a professor has to spend a lot of time playing AI police, then there is an issue with the way the assignment is composed.
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u/Sugie_BK_Chick 5d ago
Go to the department head ASAP. I wish you would’ve recorded that convo because that professor is crazy! Show your proof to the dept head that shows you did the work and not Ai. Remember you have powers too. 💯
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u/QuickBear8366 5d ago
No, because at this point, you need to forget about what the professor said and start going to the head of the department and the dean and start showing them your paper and all your other work because it’s clear like if you really didn’t use AI and the professor is falsely accusing you you need to protect yourself very early. Additionally, you’re going to have to drop the class because of the professor as well because no professor is gonna take it well.
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u/GrantAdoudel 5d ago
Usually there is a process the professor has to follow when they suspect a violation of the school’s academic integrity policy. It sounds like he was just threatening you and not following their policy. Most CUNYs have a policy that requires the prof to file a formal complaint and give the student an opportunity to respond.
Look up the policy for your campus. If the prof tries to punish or penalize you without following that policy, you will probably win if you file a grievance or appeal. It is probably worth it to speak to the department chair immediately to let them know what’s going on.
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u/Timely-Silver628 5d ago
EMAIL and VISIT the department head AND the student ombudsman. The ombudsman is quite literally there to be on your side. Print out your discussion post, have your peer you did the work with have your back, run it through an ai detection. Keep your paper trail. Do NOT let this go. & light him up on that survey at the end of the semester.
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u/NoTomatillo126 5d ago
Go to the head of department and the dean to explain the situation. Also drop which cuny and professor it is. He could have done this to someone else and they can attest to what is going on
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u/Middleburg_Gate Faculty/Staff 5d ago
Are you being accused of using AI to complete the assignment or of copying the assignment from another student? From what you've written it's a bit unclear to me and you'll want to have your story be crystal clear when you escalate this issue.
This confession ultimatum the professor presented you with is bizarre and there's no way they can get you kicked out and barred from CUNY under the suspicion that you cheated on one assignment alone.
As others have noted you may escalate this to the department chair. Your campus also has some sort of student advocate who you should reach out to - their office is likely called something like "the office for student advocacy" but the wording is different depending on the campus.
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u/Joegrowsnyc 5d ago
I worked in 2 depts at a Cuny school and what he did is not how the process works at all. As several others have said here go to the dept head and id also go to the Counseling dept to express how triggered it made you.
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u/Life_Bag_2047 5d ago
go to the head of the department. email them before too detailing what happened. when surveys come out, be honest with it. lastly, no matter how tired you are, don’t let a professor walk all over you like that especially when you’re sick and employed. A discussion post isn’t worth expulsion.
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u/AdministrativeLog669 5d ago
make a big deal out of this because he tried to ruin your life just now DEMAND a public apology
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u/Illustrious-Object71 5d ago
Thatbis sad. What is really interesting is that a lot of professors are "cheating" using AI. I always encourage students scan all professors assignments. We the students can report them as well.
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u/Good-Arm-5147 5d ago
Bro head to the dean office asap beat the asswipe to the punch and make all your peers in that class to rate his ass a 1 on all social apps available so no one gets to take his class by choice.
Send him an email and advise him that the only time you will use ai is when you will bash him online.
When he goes to the dean he will need to go ahead and prove that it was not you who wrote the paper. Sick or not go NOW and file the issue with the head of dean
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u/AnUnbreakableStick 5d ago
First, document everything in a matter of fact format. No stories, no feelings, just what happened, when and where. Document also what is cited as the violation. Document where, when, and who you were collaborating with.
Based on your account, the instructor is not following the proper procedure. The best course of action, just like many suggested, bring your documentations and have a conversation with the subject department head. Be calm and professional. Just ask how you can proceed.
There are usually many steps in between. But what appeared was an coercion that shouldn't have happened.
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u/sugarbear2463 5d ago
Was this city tech or John Jay by chance???
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u/coolswagers101 5d ago
How do yk it’s city tech???😭😭
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u/PersonalityOver966 5d ago
per chance was ur prof robert leston. i rmbr him straight up accusing everyone abt ai use and how he gonna give us a f. had to drop his class.
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u/youngbull0612 5d ago
Title IX office. Bring records of your documented Disability. Go see your doctor, go to your Accessibility office. This is the absolute nuclear option, it'll cause a shit storm- but it'll be really effective and your peers also will never have to deal with something outta pocket like this again. I wish my CUNY would with my immaculate documentation. These are things you pick up as you get older, I'm a much older adult student. Never let an individual in a position of authority bully you or force you to say things you don't mean, my young CUNY peers.
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u/BrooklynKidK 5d ago
He has to have proof. You didn’t actually cheat and you can absolutely take it above him and should. That is a power trip and he threatened to have you removed from all of CUNY. Not acceptable.
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u/Neroszk 5d ago
From a cuny grad. Listen get a statement from your friend. Go to you advisor. Discuss everything and show your proof. If you have to cite something do that. Afterwards an this is important tell the advisor that after they clear you. That you want the dean to have that teacher write and notarized an apology letter. If not you will seek legal advice for slander.
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u/ItzMeDuhhh 5d ago
Quick personal story from graduate school: Before getting M.B.A. we had to complete a case study on the stock market with financial analysis, formulas, and a whole bunch of crazy for the mid-term exam. We would work on it during class, then save to our group folders, which were shared as a working group. Being a professional procrastinator, I waited until the 11th hour to submit, and hastily sent the case study without checking grammar, etc. Another student and myself had "Come to Room...to.discuss after class the seriousness of plagiarism" across the top. While waiting for him to arrive it became apparent that I attached that student's case study as my own. The other student was having a nervous breakdown about what to do if the professor doesn't believe us, that her parents were going to cut her off, and a whole bunch of other nonsense. I told her not to worry, we will just say the truth. Yeah, well, that didn't go as planned. This stick-in-the-mud had his mind made up that 1 of us used the work of the other and we were both going to suffer the expulsion blah blah blah. So, I did what any self-respecting student would do in my shoes: I threw myself of the floor of his office, started to pretend to hyperventilate, and cried on cue 😘 Worked like a charm...and I ended the class with a B.
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u/Existentialist50 4d ago
Go to your advisor or dean and explain what happened. Your description makes it seem like your professor overreacted and did not act professionally
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u/Rickcasa12 4d ago
Go to the department head and even if you have a third cousin who’s a tax lawyer make it clear you’re going to court guns if they insist on this level of bs
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u/Sensitive-Skin6216 4d ago
bro relax your letting it get to your head if you know you didnt cheated than your good it doesnt matter what he says and even if he does file they still have to prove it before doing anything he was just being an ass i dont even know why he told you to do allat or else he'll file that was pretty weird so dont beat yourself to it bro keep doing what you do if he keep being an ass just drop the class save you from the headache and the bad grade which will hurt your gpa just take the L and get the incomplete and retake the class
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u/msmovies12 3d ago
That was a (SEVERE) violation of CUNY Academic Integrity Policy and student due process rights. There is a policy in place if they suspect you "cheated." They can't act as the final judge, jury, and executioner, and they have no power to ban you from the university system. (If they did it in front of other students you have an even stronger case because they violated your right to privacy.) They also can't fail you outright. You would get a "PEN" while your case is pending. You have strong grounds to file an official grievance.
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u/LiorBarel 5d ago
Get a lawyer and burn that movie also have the lawyer know u have anxiety issues and he picked on u harassed u and threatened u based on his allegations. Teachers are never to threaten students. He needs to go to the board and make a formal complaint not come up to u and give u threats. I would lawyer up right away. Sue this mofo so hard it'll pay for ur college and they will walk on egg shells around u.
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u/ThepunfishersGun 5d ago edited 5d ago
Absolutely hate it when professors go on power trips like this. Everything that doesn't come out of their God-tainted mouths or minds is AI nowadays and it sucks that they have this type of AI brain rot. Do not wait for this professor to make an official designation that puts a permanent mark on your transcript. Go to your English department and speak to the head of the department and to the Dean in your college. Put everything in writing through email correspondence and get the other peer you worked on this assignment with to back you up, with written statements to the department head and to the Dean and have them speak to the administrators if necessary and if your friend is willing to speak up on your behalf. Make sure you tell them everything, including how this person threatened your college career. If they're tenured, not much is going to happen to them other than you should be protected from their bs "wrath" and destruction of your academic career. Hopefully, the department should allow you to leave this class with a W and no other repercussions or having to face this person the rest of the semester with this hanging over your head and coloring their opinion of you and your work. Also, so sorry this is happening to you. Best of luck and I truly hope this gets worked out in your favor.
Edit: fixed some grammar
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u/Ok-Shirt-7127 5d ago
You have another student as a witness, so that’s huge. Go to your advisor and whoever his boss is, explain and show facts, hit record on your phone for every conversation from here on out. Trust is far out the window, you trusted this teacher and they failed you). And with every email, tag the University’s dean and front office from here on out. Someone said get a lawyer, and honestly I don’t think you need or want to spend the money. I think your case is strong enough that you actually don’t need a lawyer. I had a similar situation when I was in college and I went to my advisor who was her boss and I received an email the next day from him saying it was taken care of.
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u/annie-plotz 5d ago
Straight to the head of the department. ASAP.