‘Finally heard': NTU student granted hearing, cleared of AI misconduct

Online Citizen​

13 hours ago

SINGAPORE: A Nanyang Technological University (NTU) student who was penalised for the alleged misuse of Generative AI (GenAI) tools has shared that she was finally granted a hearing with university officials.
In a Reddit post dated 24 June, the student said she had met with a panel comprising the academic chair, the head of her programme, and the associate provost.
During the meeting, she was allowed to explain her writing process and respond to the allegations in detail.
She described it as the first time she felt 'heard'.
Students Penalised for Alleged AI Misuse
On 22 June, NTU issued a statement saying that three students had received zero marks for a written assignment in a health and politics module after being found to have used GenAI tools in their submissions.
The decision followed an investigation in April, with the students informed of the outcome in early May.
The university said the essays were flagged for academic misconduct due to non-existent academic references, fictitious statistics, and broken web links.
However, the student disputed the university's version of events, alleging that NTU's public statement did not reflect her experience accurately and that no proper opportunity was given for the students to defend themselves.
She claimed that, prior to the hearing, no in-person meetings had been scheduled for the students to present their cases.
Panel Finds No Evidence of AI Misuse in Student's Case
In her Reddit update, the student described the hearing as a thorough review of her work.
The panel reportedly examined her essay paragraph by paragraph and gave her ample time to explain her research and citation process.
They also reviewed the citation tool she had used, which she said appeared as the first result in a Google search.
After examining how the tool worked and assessing her Google Docs drafts and her understanding of academic sources, the panel concluded that her work did not involve the use of GenAI.
She reported that the panel reassured her there would be no permanent record of the incident and that it would not appear on her transcript.
The student added that NTU officials acknowledged the need to balance efficiency with creative thinking and expressed openness to developing consistent frameworks for AI-related assessments.
Despite the positive outcome of the hearing, the student said she would proceed with a formal appeal to the academic board regarding her grade.
She noted that while the professor in charge had already given her a zero, she hoped to recover marks for components not related to citations.
Although concerned about the impact on her GPA, she expressed satisfaction with having advocated for herself and gone through the proper channels.
Acknowledging Support and Encouraging Others
The student took the opportunity to thank those who had supported her throughout the process.
She praised the panel for offering the due process the case required and treating her with kindness and understanding.
She also acknowledged a professor who had advocated for her despite being busy with a book project on Palestine and human rights.
In addition, she credited the student union president for raising her issue with university leadership and speaking up about how easily citation errors could occur.
Friends who had helped draft emails, brainstorm solutions, and even bought her small gifts to cheer her up were also thanked.
She expressed particular appreciation to the Reddit community for helping to bring attention to the issue, saying the online support made her feel less alone.
'Don't be afraid to voice out if you ever feel a sense of injustice,' she wrote.
'Be meticulous about the procedures, record the right evidence, and know that you have every right to speak up — for yourself, and those who don't know how.'
Reddit Users Applaud Student's Efforts, Question NTU's Initial Handling
Under her Reddit post, many users congratulated the student for her persistence and courage in standing up for herself.
Several noted that her actions had not only helped her own case but also opened the door for the other students involved to receive fair hearings.
However, some users expressed disappointment at how NTU had initially handled the matter.
One user remarked that it was disgraceful that the university 'only acted like a respectable, competent institution when faced with pressure from media'.
Others argued that the university should have conducted a hearing from the outset, especially given the seriousness of the misconduct allegation.
One user wrote that a proper review 'should've been the first thing NTU did when a professor slaps a student with such a serious offence'.
One user who claimed to have previously worked in an academic support role expressed shock at how the case was handled.
They criticised the university staff for failing to carry out basic steps, such as listening to the student and verifying the facts, before concluding that academic fraud had occurred.
The user felt that although the professor had mishandled the situation, responsibility also lay with the wider academic staff.
Calls for Accountability
Some Reddit users also called for accountability on the part of the professor who issued the zero mark.
One commented that the student 'deserved an apology' and hoped the professor's actions would have lasting consequences.
Another user suggested that the professor should be removed from teaching, arguing that the mistake showed poor judgment.
Grade Appeal Still Ongoing
Despite the positive outcome of the hearing, some users expressed confusion and concern over whether the student's grade would remain at zero.
'If you're proven not to have cheated, why is the academic board keeping the zero?' one user asked.
The student clarified that the hearing was separate from the grade appeal process, which was still ongoing.
She said it could take several weeks to be processed but expressed hope that the final result would not remain a zero.
She also provided an update that the two other students involved in the case were scheduled to have their hearings later in the same week.
'I've reached out to them on things to prepare for the meeting and will be supporting them as well. We'll be appealing our grades together,' she wrote.