Accused of cheating ... Sort of

https://www.thefire.org/fire-guides/fires-guide-to-due-process-and-campus-justice/fires-guide-to-due-process-and-fair-procedure-on-campus-full-text/#__RefHeading__2480_2127946742

The campus process you might want to become familar with is the grade appeals process. You felt that you deserved a higher grade. The professor did increase your score somewhat but not as much as you wanted. Do you have any grounds for a grade appeal? Note that a grade appeal is not granted on the basis of you disagreeing with the number of points awarded or whether your feelings were hurt by the discussion with the professor.

If you’ve seen Princess Bride, you should remember the quote “Never get involved in a land war in Asia”.

I think you should watch the following video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mTlnrXFAXE

The quote can be translated into “make sure that you can win before you escalate”. What would winning look like and how would you get there? I’m not sure I see how to get there.

Depending on what you wrote, you still may be able to come out looking respectable - stand your ground about your integrity, but be contrite about anything that may appear disrespectful in your letter to the chair and apologize. If you wrote something disrespectful, it was a tactical mistake, and you need to withdraw your forces. You shouldn’t have assumed that the chair would take your side.

Hope you enjoyed the video.

I have no concrete evidence, such as videotape, However, I do record lectures, and I have on recording him saying at the end of class that “you don’t need to do this right now” to me while I was correcting his errors, and me responding with “oh ok”. All that does though is suggest that he saw me making these corrections, and didn’t see any reason to be suspicious of what I was doing ( was in front row center of class).

My test was all in pencil and I was using a pen to correct. I also have another project where he missed important details and my grade was lowered. I have his comments showing that.

I didn’t assume about the chair, but if you don’t follow university process they dismiss you as reckless. He was the next step. Here is what I wrote to the chair, and now the dean:

In the most recent exam, Dr. (name) made some errors in grading my test. Per his requested protocol I reviewed my exam and returned my corrections to him. I did so immediately following him returning the exam, in class, with a black pen, and showed him my concerns once class was over.

This evening I returned with him in his office, where he explained to me that he believed I wrote answers to the test after the fact, and returned it to him to gain extra points.

I was told in his words, “there is no way I didn’t see that answer on your test,” yet he had already missed an entire page of work on my test in addition to this part.

The difference amounts to 5 points on my test, which is not a big deal, but I did earn them and I refuse to accept being accused of academic dishonesty whether explicitly or implicitly.

This situation is deeply concerning, as I prepared for this test, wrote down all of my work and did not cheat.

I am also concerned because this is the second instance this semester where Dr. (name) has missed details on material turned in and my grade has suffered.

I am attaching my exam. The work that I am referring to is on the last page. I would like to discuss further as soon as possible, because I am not sure I am comfortable with what Dr. (name) said to me or if I can proceed with his grading.

As an adult going back for her second degree, I learned to not tilt at windmills where bad professors are concerned, and to get through the class with a minimum of fuss.

I’ve also learned that incompetence is rife in all of the administrative parts of all of the colleges I’ve attended (10 so far), and that it is YOUR job to cover your butt, make copies of everything, and be friendly but persistent when things screw up. Because they will screw up. Your job isn’t to punish them, but to get it right for you with a minimum of aggravation for them. That’s how they roll.

In my opinion, you should have recognized immediately that he’s incompetent and taken the olive branch he offered. Most likely the grading after that would have been generous because he doesn’t want to deal with you again. I had a professor who screwed up BIG TIME on one of my grades, and I could have made a big stink about it, but didn’t. And he knew I chose to let it go. I got very generous grading after that…

You can throw sand in the wheels, or you can grease them. But you aren’t in the driver’s seat, that’s for sure.

Not sure if you are allowed to record the lectures without the professor’s permission. Some people are real sensitive about that. That may be what gets you in trouble. I think what you wrote is fine, and I think the dean and the chair will recommend that the professor photocopy everything that you turn in from this point forward. You might preemptively recommend that. Your position should be
“I mean no disrespect, but I don’t know what other options there are my when my integrity is in question.” Ask them what they would do in your situation.