Accused of possible academic dishonesty!

[AmishExpressWay]

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I had a chemistry test this past monday, but I asked my professor a few days in advance if I could delay it until later in the week instead as I recently had a lot of trouble in my life (i.e. severe anxiety and depression, along with vomiting, difficulty eating, etc.) and that studying and sitting for the test would be way too stressful for me, and I'd do nowhere near my best. My professor told me that I could as long as I got a doctor referral.

I scanned and e-mailed my professor the referral from my GP, which said I was excused from class monday and tuesday that week. My professor said ok, and allowed me to take it later in the week.

I still came to my other classes monday and tuesday, since attendance was mandatory, but I did not go to the class where the test was administered.

Now another professor, who is teaching a different class from the same chemistry department, claimed that I was being academically dishonest since I came to her class that day but did not take the test from the other class, and claimed that this is considered being academically dishonest, since my doctor said I was excused from class.

I don't think I was being academically dishonest, and had no ill intentions, but apparently going to only some classes, despite being severely ill, is considered dishonest... Any advice?

 

[DocFarnsworth]

Just talk to the professor and explain your situation. Doesn't seem like this should be too big of an issue.

 

[mimelim]

Talk to the deans at your school. Talk to the professor with a dean present. This should go away very easily if done properly.

 

[AmishExpressWay]

Thanks for the protips.

 

[blueharbor]

Yes...that's nonsense. Studying for and taking an exam is much more taxing than sitting in class.

 

[LizzyM]

Even if class attendance is mandatory, you had a doctor's note saying you were excused from classes on Monday and Tuesday. I could see where your attendance at classes while carrying a doctor's note saying that you were too sick to attend would raise questions. Either you are too sick to attend or you are able to attend. I wouldn't feel that you should be allowed to have it both ways.

 

[Hospitalized]

Be prepared to answer why you felt it was okay for you to attend the class in which there was no exam, but not the one with the exam. You better not stumble over your words, otherwise you may end up with an IA, which you will be required to report on the AMCAS.

 

[mehc012]

Even if class attendance is mandatory, you had a doctor's note saying you were excused from classes on Monday and Tuesday. I could see where your attendance at classes while carrying a doctor's note saying that you were too sick to attend would raise questions. Either you are too sick to attend or you are able to attend. I wouldn't feel that you should be allowed to have it both ways.

So if I have a note stating I should not lift more than 25lbs, I should also avoid lifting 10lbs? I can't go to PE class, so I should skip my PT, or all of my other classes? If I have a handicap placard and I sometimes choose to park in normal spaces because they're in the shade and occasionally sacrificing that placard privilege helps me in other ways, I should turn it in?

The doctor's note allows them to excuse themselves from class - it specifies that an outside party has deemed that the illness was severe enough that the student should not be required to go to class. I don't see why it would require them to avoid all classes. There's a happy medium which best balances academic responsibility with caring for themselves. OP found their balance after discussing things with the prof ahead of time and meeting all of the requirements specified. Throwing some other random requirement in there after the fact seems unfair.

 

[ERK123]

Even if class attendance is mandatory, you had a doctor's note saying you were excused from classes on Monday and Tuesday. I could see where your attendance at classes while carrying a doctor's note saying that you were too sick to attend would raise questions. Either you are too sick to attend or you are able to attend. I wouldn't feel that you should be allowed to have it both ways.

I find this reasoning absurd when considering a mental illness like anxiety and depression. The purpose of missing class when sick is to not exacerbate the illness and possibly to not pass the illness onto to fellow pupils. Many physical illnesses can worsen or be contagious from the physical strain of leaving home (especially in poor weather) and tiring out the body. Anxiety and depression does not follow this same trend in many circumstances. I would say a student might even feel better in terms of depression and anxiety easing themselves back into a normal schedule of attending class without the added pressure of sitting for an exam. The professor is not a doctor and should therefore not assume to understand the medical condition of the student better than the doctor.

 

[LizzyM]

I find this reasoning absurd when considering a mental illness like anxiety and depression. The purpose of missing class when sick is to not exacerbate the illness and possibly to not pass the illness onto to fellow pupils. Many physical illnesses can worsen or be contagious from the physical strain of leaving home (especially in poor weather) and tiring out the body. Anxiety and depression does not follow this same trend in many circumstances. I would say a student might even feel better in terms of depression and anxiety easing themselves back into a normal schedule of attending class without the added pressure of sitting for an exam. The professor is not a doctor and should therefore not assume to understand the medical condition of the student better than the doctor.

Would it occur to you that the doctor's note does not include the reason for the excused absence?. A student who requests an accommodation is not required to tell the faculty what the disability is, only that an accommodation is needed and what type of accommodation has been arranged with the office that handles these matters.

 

[deleted480308]

If i was your professor, my opinion would be healthy enough for one class is healthy enough for all.

 

[mehc012]

If i was your professor, my opinion would be healthy enough for one class is healthy enough for all.

But you deferred to the doctor's opinion by asking the student to get a note from them. Doc said the student had cause to be excused from your class. They asked ahead of time what your criteria were for 'can I miss this test', and met those criteria. Whether they went to other classes or not was not specified and does not invalidate the note they have. The prof shouldn't suddenly jump ship and change to another metric.

And again, just as not all physical activity is created equal, neither is all academic activity. I'm not sure why we'd pretend they are the same.

 

[blueharbor]

Would it occur to you that the doctor's note does not include the reason for the excused absence?. A student who requests an accommodation is not required to tell the faculty what the disability is, only that an accommodation is needed and what type of accommodation has been arranged with the office that handles these matters.

This is true. But a student who requests an accommodation is also not required to use it in every class. If I were granted the right to a quiet room for testing, and made use of this for one class but not the others, would one of my other professors be justified in reporting me for academic dishonesty?

Edit: Might as well answer myself - no, they would not. As someone who utilizes accommodations, I do this all the time depending on the length of time provided and the class environment. It is expected that students will not need to use their accommodations in every potentially applicable setting, because every class is different.

 

[deleted480308]

But you deferred to the doctor's opinion by asking the student to get a note from them. Doc said the student had cause to be excused from your class. They asked ahead of time what your criteria were for 'can I miss this test', and met those criteria. Whether they went to other classes or not was not specified and does not invalidate the note they have. The prof shouldn't suddenly jump ship and change to another metric.

And again, just as not all physical activity is created equal, neither is all academic activity. I'm not sure why we'd pretend they are the same.

If I was the professor that had my test skipped on a day you were in other classes, I would be speaking with the dean or failing you on the exam. If you took off work for an illness with a doctor's excuse and I found out you were at Disney, I'd be speaking with HR or firing you.

Feel free to disagree but know that I'm not remotely the only person that feels this way

 

[mehc012]

If I was the professor that had my test skipped on a day you were in other classes, I would be speaking with the dean or failing you on the exam. If you took off work for an illness with a doctor's excuse and I found out you were at Disney, I'd be speaking with HR or firing you.

Feel free to disagree but know that I'm not remotely the only person that feels this way

Then you should have specified that when the student spoke to you in person about their situation.

Student had a doctor's note which stated they were justified in not attending a class, the validity of which is apparently in zero dispute. I've never seen one which states 'you are obligated to skip all classes' outside of like, "you have a highly communicable disease please stay in quarantine". If you see this situation as a prof and don't like it, write this case off as a loss and edit your policy to cover future situations. It is completely out of line to add arbitrary qualifiers to your policy after the fact, especially when someone took the time to run things by you first. Either honor the doctor's note or don't, uniformly.

Saying "In this situation I would [in some way actively harm] this person because I didn't like their actions, and other people would too" doesn't mean that you would be justified in doing so...I don't see how you can feel good saying you'd tar their reputation and alter their future career because you didn't like the way that they cared for themselves (within the boundaries of the rules) during a tough time. That's not being strict, it's just being cruel.

Furthermore, the teacher making the fuss is not the one giving the exam, but in fact the one whose class they did attend.

 

[deleted480308]

Then you should have specified that when the student spoke to you in person about their situation.

Student had a doctor's note which stated they were justified in not attending a class, the validity of which is apparently in zero dispute. I've never seen one which states 'you are obligated to skip all classes' outside of like, "you have a highly communicable disease please stay in quarantine". If you see this situation as a prof and don't like it, write this case off as a loss and edit your policy to cover future situations. It is completely out of line to add arbitrary qualifiers to your policy after the fact, especially when someone took the time to run things by you first. Either honor the doctor's note or don't, uniformly.

Furthermore, the teacher making the fuss is not the one giving the exam, but in fact the one whose class they did attend.

You haven't had a lot of employee or employer experience if you think the supervisors handed a doctors note don't expect that you are also too sick for other activities. I know people who have been fired for using a sick day and then going out socializing.

 

[mehc012]

You haven't had a lot of employee or employer experience if you think the supervisors handed a doctors note don't expect that you are also too sick for other activities. I know people who have been fired for using a sick day and then going out socializing.

There's a difference between 'going out socializing' and 'getting some, but not all, of my work done'.
One is 'I skipped work to go have a good time.'
The other is 'I could not come into the office but I worked from home' or 'I could not lift things in the storeroom but I organized the file cabinets that were overdue' or 'I could not come into school but I did the homework my sister brought home for me'.

 

[mehc012]

And I've definitely seen cases where the profs let someone delay their test even if they did other work...in some they required it, like when my friend had a really bad fracture and was a little doped up on pain meds. They came to class and took notes (because coming to class, even at half-steam is >>> than missing it) but were told to delay the exam a few days until they could take it without the double distraction of pain+meds (because taking an exam at half-steam is <<< than delaying a few days).

But maybe that's just because my professors are capable of recognizing that there is a giant, glaring difference between the circumstances and requirements of an exam, and therefore the most reasonable accommodation for one, and the circumstances/requirements of class. They don't feel the need to force an 'accommodation' on class which would be disadvantageous just because the student got an extra day or so on the test.

Do we make students who get extra time on tests sit in class for 10% longer so they prove they need it? No, because that would be ridiculous and would basically be punishing them for needing the accommodation. So, too, is the idea of forcing them to miss class material because they qualified for a delay of an exam.

 

[ERK123]

Would it occur to you that the doctor's note does not include the reason for the excused absence?. A student who requests an accommodation is not required to tell the faculty what the disability is, only that an accommodation is needed and what type of accommodation has been arranged with the office that handles these matters.

I consider it the professor's job not to make assumptions about the reason for the doctors note and instead start policing

You haven't had a lot of employee or employer experience if you think the supervisors handed a doctors note don't expect that you are also too sick for other activities. I know people who have been fired for using a sick day and then going out socializing.

This is not work. It is school. You are paying to be there. Obviously this does not mean students have a "Do whatever you want and get away with it badge" but it is hardly the same as being an employee.

Also, even if a person behaved like this as an employee there are still labor protection regulations enforced for large employers that might provide protection for an employee in this situation.

 

[mehc012]

Also, I'm sure a lot of people here have had to have an exam delayed for medical illness.

It is totally normal and reasonable to do what you can to keep up during that period. Who doesn't do that? Unless you're literally so ill you can't do anything but lay in bed. The time I had to delay an exam for an illness I tried to at least do some reading and studying - because otherwise I would have just gotten MORE behind than I already was.

lol, I never know what's normal because my profs were always really awesome about stuff like this. I know I missed almost a week once, and when I came back (having missed a problem set, lots of homework, and a quiz) my prof basically set me up my own personal compressed-yet-delayed due date timeline for the last several assignments and quizzes, putting me back on track just in time to take the final.

 

[NYCdude]

If I was the professor that had my test skipped on a day you were in other classes, I would be speaking with the dean or failing you on the exam. If you took off work for an illness with a doctor's excuse and I found out you were at Disney, I'd be speaking with HR or firing you.

Feel free to disagree but know that I'm not remotely the only person that feels this way

There's a difference between studying for and taking an exam and just showing up to a class.

If OP was skipping around school taking 3 other exams and solving all the math problems up on the hallway bulletin board in the math department, then there would be an issue.

 

[blueharbor]

There's a difference between studying for and taking an exam and just showing up to a class.

If OP was skipping around school taking 3 other exams and solving all the math problems up on the hallway bulletin board in the math department, then there would be an issue.

 

[LizzyM]

Let's look at it from Professor #2's perspective. Professor #1 walks over to where Professor #2 is sipping a cup of coffee, sinks into a chair and in response to a question about how's the day going says, "I need to write an exam for AmishExpressWay. I had hoped that telling the kid to get a doctor's note would put this to bed here's a doctor's note and now I'm stuck writing a second exam."

Professor #2 later sees AEW in class and thinks, "what kind of BS is this? My colleague is working hard to write a new exam and this kid is coming to other classes like nothing is the matter. I think this is just a way of delaying an exam and getting an advantage over other students who man-up and take the exams as scheduled. This should not be tolerated!"

So a charge of "academic dishonesty" is made by someone who thinks that a student is not being honest in claiming an illness precluding attendance at an exam. All the facts will be examined in accordance with university policies. It may be determined that the student was not dishonest in claiming an illness that required a delay in an exam. Let's hope OP comes back and tells us how this all works out.

 

[mehc012]

Let's look at it from Professor #2's perspective. Professor #1 walks over to where Professor #2 is sipping a cup of coffee, sinks into a chair and in response to a question about how's the day going says, "I need to write an exam for AmishExpressWay. I had hoped that telling the kid to get a doctor's note would put this to bed here's a doctor's note and now I'm stuck writing a second exam."

Professor #2 later sees AEW in class and thinks, "what kind of BS is this? My colleague is working hard to write a new exam and this kid is coming to other classes like nothing is the matter. I think this is just a way of delaying an exam and getting an advantage over other students who man-up and take the exams as scheduled. This should not be tolerated!"

So a charge of "academic dishonesty" is made by someone who thinks that a student is not being honest in claiming an illness precluding attendance at an exam. All the facts will be examined in accordance with university policies. It may be determined that the student was not dishonest in claiming an illness that required a delay in an exam. Let's hope OP comes back and tells us how this all works out.

So a professor who isn't even directly affected gets to force the issue and essentially require a student to have to stand up and justify/elucidate their medical and (in this case) mental health issues to them and to a group of their classmates (most academic dishonesty boards)? What makes this professor, or any of the honor code board, more qualified to evaluate their health than the doctor they already went to, per policy? Is stamping out a case or so of 'he/she got an extra day to study!' here and there really freaking important enough to set the precedent of challenging people to prove they're mentally unwell 'enough' according to...what, some arbitrary opinions of non-mental health professionals?

Yeah, given how mental illness is usually treated, this will end in rainbows and butterflies.
There's a reason you get to ask a trained, confidential, third-party to confirm your illness rather than having to explain the details to your teacher/supervisor/classmates.

 

[LizzyM]

So a professor who isn't even directly affected gets to force the issue and essentially require a student to have to stand up and justify/elucidate their medical and (in this case) mental health issues to them and to a group of their classmates (most academic dishonesty boards)? What makes this professor, or any of the honor code board, more qualified to evaluate their health than the doctor they already went to, per policy? Is stamping out a case or so of 'he/she got an extra day to study!' here and there really freaking important enough to set the precedent of challenging people to prove they're mentally unwell 'enough' according to...what, some arbitrary opinions of non-mental health professionals?

Yeah, given how mental illness is usually treated, this will end in rainbows and butterflies.
There's a reason you get to ask a trained, confidential, third-party to confirm your illness rather than having to explain the details to your teacher/supervisor/classmates.

I've seen students here who bitch and moan that another student is playing the system to delay and exam and get an advantage over other students. Do you think that such cheating goes on? If you don't believe that it does, you are naive. So, it has to be checked out and if it checks out, no worries. If it doesn't check out, we've eliminated a cheater and that is a good thing.

 

[Sarah_Sonny25]

OP you originally said that you were excused from the test due to anxiety/depression and asked for a makeup because "studying and sitting for the test would be way too stressful for me, and I'd do nowhere near my best."

I think you could argue that sitting in on a class does not worsen your anxiety---in fact it would lessen your stress because then you would not be anxious about missing material too. As far as your reasons for missing your test goes, your reasons for coming to class are equally justifiable.

The only thing that gets a little dicey is if you are discussing your mental health issues with the judicial board, it may come back to haunt you (I'm thinking along the lines of committee letter writers gaining access to that info)

 

[mehc012]

I've seen students here who bitch and moan that another student is playing the system to delay and exam and get an advantage over other students. Do you think that such cheating goes on? If you don't believe that it does, you are naive. So, it has to be checked out and if it checks out, no worries. If it doesn't check out, we've eliminated a cheater and that is a good thing.

I don't care if it goes on. Privacy on health/mental health issues >>>>> making sure a few kids don't get an extra 2d to study.
I'm not willing to sacrifice human decency and trust and specifically make it difficult for those who are already disadvantaged with health issues just to ensure that a few kids don't get away with the least impactful cheating method ever (the effect of which, if there even is one, will at least be evenly distributed across the entire class, not just those with illnesses). And at least with this version of cheating, the person still has to actually learn the material.

 

[TheAmbitiousGirl]

Let's look at it from Professor #2's perspective. Professor #1 walks over to where Professor #2 is sipping a cup of coffee, sinks into a chair and in response to a question about how's the day going says, "I need to write an exam for AmishExpressWay. I had hoped that telling the kid to get a doctor's note would put this to bed here's a doctor's note and now I'm stuck writing a second exam."

Professor #2 later sees AEW in class and thinks, "what kind of BS is this? My colleague is working hard to write a new exam and this kid is coming to other classes like nothing is the matter. I think this is just a way of delaying an exam and getting an advantage over other students who man-up and take the exams as scheduled. This should not be tolerated!"

So a charge of "academic dishonesty" is made by someone who thinks that a student is not being honest in claiming an illness precluding attendance at an exam. All the facts will be examined in accordance with university policies. It may be determined that the student was not dishonest in claiming an illness that required a delay in an exam. Let's hope OP comes back and tells us how this all works out.

What do you personally think makes this academically dishonest? Attending lecture as to stay caught up in class and not add any other unnecessary stress would probably have been recommended by the OP's health care provider. Taking an exam when you are dealing with a worsening mental health disorder would not be recommended because we can assume that this would be a lot mor stressful than sitting in a lecture and taking in new information.

I would agree with you if the OP decided not to take the exam because he just didn't necessarily want to as this would be looked at as gaming the system. However, that is not the case. The OP had a legitimate excuse and something we should be calling into question is why Prof #2 thinks it is okay to pry into whether or not a student did or did not take an exam that was NOT administered by his class and that had a noted medical excuse. The medical excuse should have sufficed the professors concerns alone considering that you can NOT pry into one's medical history. This means that the two Prof's may or may not know the information that the OP has shared with us and if they don't then they dont really have a leg to stand on. My schools policy regarding illness is that the prof. Needs to take the students word and yes many people could take advantage of this but consider the impact and legal implications of assuming someone is taking advantage of a policy when they have a genuine and serious health concern which many people don't think mental health problems are but in fact they are just as serious as any other health ailment.

 

[Microglia]

Let's look at it from Professor #2's perspective. Professor #1 walks over to where Professor #2 is sipping a cup of coffee, sinks into a chair and in response to a question about how's the day going says, "I need to write an exam for AmishExpressWay. I had hoped that telling the kid to get a doctor's note would put this to bed here's a doctor's note and now I'm stuck writing a second exam."

Professor #2 later sees AEW in class and thinks, "what kind of BS is this? My colleague is working hard to write a new exam and this kid is coming to other classes like nothing is the matter. I think this is just a way of delaying an exam and getting an advantage over other students who man-up and take the exams as scheduled. This should not be tolerated!"

So a charge of "academic dishonesty" is made by someone who thinks that a student is not being honest in claiming an illness precluding attendance at an exam. All the facts will be examined in accordance with university policies. It may be determined that the student was not dishonest in claiming an illness that required a delay in an exam. Let's hope OP comes back and tells us how this all works out.

I see the professor's perspective, but unless the professor is a physician, they should defer to the physicians note saying that the student should be allowed to miss class and postpone exams. If a doctor recommends it strongly enough to write and sign their name to it, the institution must comply, the patient on the other hand is allowed to be non compliant with part or all of the doctor's recommendations. PhD professors should not play doctor and question the validity of the physician's medical recommendation simply because a patient is non compliant.

 

[TheAmbitiousGirl]

I don't care if it goes on. Privacy on health/mental health issues >>>>> making sure a few kids don't get an extra 2d to study.
I'm not willing to sacrifice human decency and trust and specifically make it difficult for those who are already disadvantaged with health issues just to ensure that a few kids don't get away with the least impactful cheating method ever (the effect of which, if there even is one, will at least be evenly distributed across the entire class, not just those with illnesses). And at least with this version of cheating, the person still has to actually learn the material.

I agree %100

 

[TheAmbitiousGirl]

OP you originally said that you were excused from the test due to anxiety/depression and asked for a makeup because "studying and sitting for the test would be way too stressful for me, and I'd do nowhere near my best."

I think you could argue that sitting in on a class does not worsen your anxiety---in fact it would lessen your stress because then you would not be anxious about missing material too. As far as your reasons for missing your test goes, your reasons for coming to class are equally justifiable.

The only thing that gets a little dicey is if you are discussing your mental health issues with the judicial board, it may come back to haunt you (I'm thinking along the lines of committee letter writers gaining access to that info)

I agree %100 and the OP doesn't even necessarily have to disclose their medical ailments if they don't wish.

 

[fancymylotus]

What do you personally think makes this academically dishonest? Attending lecture as to stay caught up in class and not add any other unnecessary stress would probably have been recommended by the OP's health care provider. Taking an exam when you are dealing with a worsening mental health disorder would not be recommended because we can assume that this would be a lot mor stressful than sitting in a lecture and taking in new information.

I would agree with you if the OP decided not to take the exam because he just didn't necessarily want to as this would be looked at as gaming the system. However, that is not the case. The OP had a legitimate excuse and something we should be calling into question is why Prof #2 thinks it is okay to pry into whether or not a student did or did not take an exam that was NOT administered by his class and that had a noted medical excuse. The medical excuse should have sufficed the professors concerns alone considering that you can NOT pry into one's medical history. This means that the two Prof's may or may not know the information that the OP has shared with us and if they don't then they dont really have a leg to stand on. My schools policy regarding illness is that the prof. Needs to take the students word and yes many people could take advantage of this but consider the impact and legal implications of assuming someone is taking advantage of a policy when they have a genuine and serious health concern which many people don't think mental health problems are but in fact they are just as serious as any other health ailment.

So the OPs doctor gives a note. The note is intended for Professor 1.....

And Professor 1 decided to share the information on the note with Professor 2?

Or am I misreading something

 

[TheAmbitiousGirl]

So the OPs doctor gives a note. The note is intended for Professor 1.....

And Professor 1 decided to share the information on the note with Professor 2?

Or am I misreading something

We don't know if the prof shared the note but I was going off of LizzyM's example. Basically , prof #2 could assume that the OP is being an academically dishonest but since the OP has a doctors note there's really nothing the 2nd prof. Can do considering it was a legitimate excuse and students have the right to not disclose why they were seen.

 

[fancymylotus]

We don't know if the prof shared the note but I was going off of LizzyM's example. Basically , prof #2 could assume that the OP is being an academically dishonest but since the OP has a doctors note there's really nothing the 2nd prof. Can do considering it was a legitimate excuse and students have the right to not disclose why they were seen.

I see a vast difference between preparing for an exam for days and attending one lecture.

And wouldnt it be a huge issue if a physican wrote a note intended for one professor and that professor took it upon themselves to share it with others?

 

[fancymylotus]

I had a chemistry test this past monday, but I asked my professor a few days in advance if I could delay it until later in the week instead as I recently had a lot of trouble in my life (i.e. severe anxiety and depression, along with vomiting, difficulty eating, etc.) and that studying and sitting for the test would be way too stressful for me, and I'd do nowhere near my best. My professor told me that I could as long as I got a doctor referral.

I scanned and e-mailed my professor the referral from my GP, which said I was excused from class monday and tuesday that week. My professor said ok, and allowed me to take it later in the week.

I still came to my other classes monday and tuesday, since attendance was mandatory, but I did not go to the class where the test was administered.

Now another professor, who is teaching a different class from the same chemistry department, claimed that I was being academically dishonest since I came to her class that day but did not take the test from the other class, and claimed that this is considered being academically dishonest, since my doctor said I was excused from class.

I don't think I was being academically dishonest, and had no ill intentions, but apparently going to only some classes, despite being severely ill, is considered dishonest... Any advice?

Was the note addressed to the entire department or just the professor of the class with the exam?

 

[TheAmbitiousGirl]

I see a vast difference between preparing for an exam for days and attending one lecture.

And wouldnt it be a huge issue if a physican wrote a note intended for one professor and that professor took it upon themselves to share it with others?

I agree with you %100

 

[LizzyM]

I see a vast difference between preparing for an exam for days and attending one lecture.

And wouldnt it be a huge issue if a physican wrote a note intended for one professor and that professor took it upon themselves to share it with others?

Isn't it more likely that that the doctor wrote "to whom it may concern" and the professor believes it concerns his colleague as well?

What you are saying, is that any student with a doctor's note, even if that note was written by someone (a relative) who is not caring for the patient, that the note is sufficient to permit a rescheduling of an exam with no questions asked?

 

[LizzyM]

I had a chemistry test this past monday, but I asked my professor a few days in advance if I could delay it until later in the week instead as I recently had a lot of trouble in my life (i.e. severe anxiety and depression, along with vomiting, difficulty eating, etc.) and that studying and sitting for the test would be way too stressful for me, and I'd do nowhere near my best. My professor told me that I could as long as I got a doctor referral.

I scanned and e-mailed my professor the referral from my GP, which said I was excused from class monday and tuesday that week. My professor said ok, and allowed me to take it later in the week.

I still came to my other classes monday and tuesday, since attendance was mandatory, but I did not go to the class where the test was administered.

Now another professor, who is teaching a different class from the same chemistry department, claimed that I was being academically dishonest since I came to her class that day but did not take the test from the other class, and claimed that this is considered being academically dishonest, since my doctor said I was excused from class.

I don't think I was being academically dishonest, and had no ill intentions, but apparently going to only some classes, despite being severely ill, is considered dishonest... Any advice?

Besides being told you were academically dishonest, was anything done about this allegation of dishonesty?

 

[fancymylotus]

Isn't it more likely that that the doctor wrote "to whom it may concern" and the professor believes it concerns his colleague as well?

What you are saying, is that any student with a doctor's note, even if that note was written by someone (a relative) who is not caring for the patient, that the note is sufficient to permit a rescheduling of an exam with no questions asked?

Of course not.

But what I am saying is that if OP got a doctors note specifically because that professor asked for one due to the exam, there is a chance that the note was made out only to that person.

 

[TheAmbitiousGirl]

Isn't it more likely that that the doctor wrote "to whom it may concern" and the professor believes it concerns his colleague as well?

What you are saying, is that any student with a doctor's note, even if that note was written by someone (a relative) who is not caring for the patient, that the note is sufficient to permit a rescheduling of an exam with no questions asked?

Typically doctors note say "this person was seen today" or "please excuse so and so for the following days" what do you find academically dishonest about what the OP mentioned. I'm finding a hard time understanding your logic for thinking that he's in the wrong.

 

[LizzyM]

Typically doctors note say "this person was seen today" or "please excuse so and so for the following days" what do you find academically dishonest about what the OP mentioned. I'm finding a hard time understanding your logic for thinking that he's in the wrong.

I'm not saying that OP in is the wrong; I'm just saying that Professor #2 is justified in being suspicious and wanting to "check it out" because anyone who has taught for a decade has been burnt by students who have fake excuses and who will pull other tricks as well to get access to the exam material before taking the rescheduled test. Besides, aside from being chided for academic dishonesty we haven't heard that there was any repercussions for OP.

 

[sliceofbread136]

I'm not saying that OP in is the wrong; I'm just saying that Professor #2 is justified in being suspicious and wanting to "check it out" because anyone who has taught for a decade has been burnt by students who have fake excuses and who will pull other tricks as well to get access to the exam material before taking the rescheduled test. Besides, aside from being chided for academic dishonesty we haven't heard that there was any repercussions for OP.

Then wouldn't you think calmly discussing the issue with the OP would be better then accusing him of being dishonest from the get go?

 

[LizzyM]

Then wouldn't you think calmly discussing the issue with the OP would be better then accusing him of being dishonest from the get go?

OP hasn't been here in almost 48 hours so we may never know. It could be that when all the other students were headed from Professor #2's classroom to the exam and OP was headed out of the building, Professor #2 said, "aren't you taking the exam?" and OP said, "I'm not taking it until later this week, I have a doctor's note." And maybe the professor said, "Really, that seems like academic dishonesty."

And that's it. OP shows up here and asks if it is dishonest to do what was done. Maybe there is no judicial hearing, no meeting with the Dean, no repercussions for OP, nothing but a teacher voicing an opinion that it seems sketchy to be sitting in class all day but having a doctors excuse not to be there for the exam.

 

[sliceofbread136]

OP hasn't been here in almost 48 hours so we may never know. It could be that when all the other students were headed from Professor #2's classroom to the exam and OP was headed out of the building, Professor #2 said, "aren't you taking the exam?" and OP said, "I'm not taking it until later this week, I have a doctor's note." And maybe the professor said, "Really, that seems like academic dishonesty."

And that's it. OP shows up here and asks if it is dishonest to do what was done. Maybe there is no judicial hearing, no meeting with the Dean, no repercussions for OP, nothing but a teacher voicing an opinion that it seems sketchy to be sitting in class all day but having a doctors excuse not to be there for the exam.

That would be more reasonable. I guess we do need more of the story

 

[Goro]

You would be surprised at the mortality rate of grandparents right around exam time.

I'm not saying that OP in is the wrong; I'm just saying that Professor #2 is justified in being suspicious and wanting to "check it out" because anyone who has taught for a decade has been burnt by students who have fake excuses and who will pull other tricks as well to get access to the exam material before taking the rescheduled test. Besides, aside from being chided for academic dishonesty we haven't heard that there was any repercussions for OP.

 

[LizzyM]

You would be surprised at the mortality rate of grandparents right around exam time.

Sadly, I wouldn't be surprised; I know all too well how fragile their lives are at that time of the year as well as on opening day of baseball season.

 

[ortnakas]

OP hasn't been here in almost 48 hours so we may never know. It could be that when all the other students were headed from Professor #2's classroom to the exam and OP was headed out of the building, Professor #2 said, "aren't you taking the exam?" and OP said, "I'm not taking it until later this week, I have a doctor's note." And maybe the professor said, "Really, that seems like academic dishonesty."

And that's it. OP shows up here and asks if it is dishonest to do what was done. Maybe there is no judicial hearing, no meeting with the Dean, no repercussions for OP, nothing but a teacher voicing an opinion that it seems sketchy to be sitting in class all day but having a doctors excuse not to be there for the exam.

I agree. I see where OP is coming from and don't think he/she was intending to be dishonest, but it makes sense that Professor #2 would end up interpreting it that way.

 

[Goro]

If we're ever at the same medical education conference, I'm buying you a drink!

Sadly, I wouldn't be surprised; I know all too well how fragile their lives are at that time of the year as well as on opening day of baseball season.

 

[ski89]

I agree. I see where OP is coming from and don't think he/she was intending to be dishonest, but it makes sense that Professor #2 would end up interpreting it that way.

Agreed, good summary of this entire thread.