What do I do — and not do — right now?
Five do's, five don'ts. The don'ts matter more.
| Do — starting now | Don't — not yet, not ever |
|---|---|
| Save everything, today — the notice itself, your drafts, notes, revision history, every related message. | Don't "clean up" anything. No edits, no re-organizing, no tidying the file. Changes made after a flag can erase the evidence of your process. |
| Ask for the allegation in writing — the full report and which tool was used, not just a percentage. | Don't reply in a panic — not the email, not the "quick chat." A casual meeting can start a formal clock and put your words on the record (Tully Rinckey). |
| Read your school's handbook — the procedure and the deadlines are written down. Read them yourself. | Don't admit, apologize, or explain — yet. A hurried half-sentence gives the accusation shape → What to say, and what never to say → |
| Stay factual when you must speak: what happened, nothing more. | Don't guess how the tool reached its number, and don't volunteer interpretation. Plain facts hold up; guesses and apologies can be read as admissions. |
| Get advice before any meeting where a statement could be requested (Tully Rinckey). | Don't walk alone into a "friendly conversation" where you might be asked to explain or sign anything. |
Hours 0–2: how do I get through right now?
Say nothing yet — and save the notice. Silence right now is not an admission. It's you declining to answer before you know the procedure. Two moves, that's all:
- Stop the reply. Don't answer the email. Don't accept the "quick chat" on the spot. A reply written in a hurry gives the accusation shape, and a casual meeting can start a formal clock before you know the rules (Tully Rinckey).
- Capture the accusation itself. Save the original message. Note the date, the exact words, and who said them. This record is the baseline for everything that follows.
The urge to make it stop right now is strong. Resist it. A hurried admission is the one move you can't take back — what's safe to say, and what never to say, word for word → Don't confess to something you didn't do →
Hours 2–24: what do I do today?
Read your handbook, and get the accusation on paper — theirs and yours.
- Find your school's procedure. Your student handbook sets the steps and the deadlines. Don't take anyone's word for the timeline — the count is written down, and it's yours to read.
- Document everything about the notice. The dates, exactly what was said, by whom, through what channel. Keep it with the saved message from hour one.
- Ask for the specific basis, in writing. Request the full report, not a summary percentage, and ask which tool was used. You're allowed to ask what triggered this — you can't respond to a basis you haven't been shown. One tool's number is a signal, not a finding → How reliable are these tools, really →
Hours 24–48: how do I secure my evidence and prepare a reply?
Preserve the record of how you wrote it — it doesn't survive delay.
- Save your process, now. Revision history, drafts, outlines, notes, sources — today, before anything can change (Lento Law). The path to your work matters more than the finished file. What holds up and what backfires → Evidence that actually stands →
- Leave the file exactly as it is. Don't edit, reorganize, or tidy it. Changes made after a flag can remove the very evidence that shows your process — and they look worse than they are.
- Prepare the reply — don't improvise it. Your first response to your professor has exact wording, timing, and traps. Use the template → What do I send back? →
- Get advice before any meeting in which you might be asked to explain or sign anything. Know what is and isn't required of you before you sit down (Tully Rinckey).
Why does this order work?
Because the burden of proof is theirs — and these steps keep it there. In a school disciplinary process the standard is usually "preponderance of the evidence." In plain words: more likely than not — roughly 51%, far below a criminal trial (Lento Law). Some schools set a higher bar — "clear and convincing" — so confirm the exact standard in your handbook. You are not required to prove you wrote the work. The question is whether the evidence tips past that line. A documented process and an unaltered file keep it from tipping the wrong way. A panicked statement is the one thing that tips it for them. How the hearing actually runs, and who decides → What happens at the hearing →
Where do I go next?
| Your next question | The page that answers it |
|---|---|
| "What can I safely say?" | Don't confess to something you didn't do → |
| "What do I write back to my professor?" | What do I send back? → |
| "What evidence should I gather?" | Evidence that actually stands → |
| "What happens at the hearing?" | What happens at the hearing → |
Information, not legal advice. Rules and deadlines vary by school — read your own handbook, and talk to a qualified attorney or campus advisor before you respond to anything. We don't judge — we help you track the records.