Indirect Violation of Honestly Policy through GroupMe app

[HarryIngram]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Georgia
My situation is that at my university I take General Chemistry. As many classes do in order to get help with schoolwork, the class made a GroupMe. If you aren't familiar, it is simply just a group messaging app.
The class I'm taking has a lab, and it consists of a lab practical and notebook quiz at the end of the semester.
In the groupme chat, a student posted a picture of the notebook quiz for everyone in the group to see (~400 people).
Lots of people immediately left the group, while I stayed. A student told our chem department head and she sent out the following email the next day.
"Tomorrow's office hours are canceled. I will be writing new questions to replace the ones posted on the GroupMe site."

So, I thought it was all over. Come yesterday, I got an email stating "Based on our electronic records of the Chem1212 discussions on the GroupMe site and your responses on the notebook quiz, we have come to the conclusion that you received unauthorized assistance on that assignment. If you agree that you violated the academic honesty policy, I believe you should receive a zero for the notebook quiz that is equivalent to 10% of the course grade."

I believe they have no grounds to file such a claim, for even if I did use the information posted, how can they verify I actually did it?
Is it all just because I was in the group that was associated with the violation?
I'm scheduling a meeting to fight this, any advice?

Thanks.

 

[FlyingRon]

We can't really help you. You are going to have to avail yourself of whatever due process your school provides you on this. You'll have to make your case that you were not discussing the work you were supposed to be doing independently. Frankly, we have no way of seeing what you did in the group after the exam was posted there. What you likely should have done is immediately ceased participation and notified the professor of the breach. It appears you were complicit in the academic dishonesty here.

 

[HarryIngram]

Well I suppose my question is, is it legal for the institution to look at the group messages in the first place? Is it not similar to going through the messages on my phone?

 

[Just Blue]

Well I suppose my question is, is it legal for the institution to look at the group messages in the first place? Is it not similar to going through the messages on my phone?

1. Of course it is...Why would you think otherwise?
2. No. Not a bit. Don't post publicly if you don't want your words read.


BTW...Even on this site there have been members that have had their thread(s) bite them on the a$$ in court.

 

[Ohiogal]

Well I suppose my question is, is it legal for the institution to look at the group messages in the first place? Is it not similar to going through the messages on my phone?

No, it is not similar to your phone. The group is a public group. The fact that you are a cheater and it was revealed is your problem. You should get a 0 on that assignment. Furthermore, the "institution" did nothing wrong. You did.

 

[HarryIngram]

How is it public? It is just like a Facebook message. Or is that also considered public? I'd disagree.

 

[HarryIngram]

In order to join the group, you had to be invited. It isn't open for anyone to see.

 

[Just Blue]

How is it public? It is just like a Facebook message. Or is that also considered public? I'd disagree.

Disagree all you want.

 

[Just Blue]

In order to join the group, you had to be invited. It isn't open for anyone to see.

The information was gifted to an invited party. They can do with it as they see fit.

 

[HarryIngram]

They weren't invited to the group if that's what you meant. A student's own account was used to display the messages in the group. How is this not like someone displaying a Facebook conversation? Are you telling me Facebook messages are public? Can I read yours?

 

[FlyingRon]

Well I suppose my question is, is it legal for the institution to look at the group messages in the first place? Is it not similar to going through the messages on my phone?

There were other students on the group, you had no reasonable expectation of privacy. It matters not if they accessed the group directly or some other member of the group gave them the information about your activity there. I hope to hell you're not getting your degree in computer science. The information is NOT on your phone or even a cloud extension of the phone (like an iCloud backup). THe GroupMe app just allows you to access the information on their database. Further, academic review people aren't subject to the fourth amendment.

 

[quincy]

How is it public? It is just like a Facebook message. Or is that also considered public? I'd disagree.

HarryIngram, you might want to read again (or for the first time ) the Terms of Service and Privacy notice you agreed to when using the GroupMe app. These tell you exactly what you have been told here as to the privacy of your communications.

GroupMe Terms of Service, "... you are fully responsible for all activities that occur under the account and any other actions taken in connection with your groups ..." : https://groupme.com/terms

GroupMe Privacy, "You should remain aware that any information you share online or via text message can be accessed by others ...": https://groupme.com/privacy

Good luck to you in fighting the "0" you are facing on the notebook quiz.

 

[HarryIngram]

Thanks for the heartwarming responses everyone. I know it feels good to be quick to judge, but here's some non-legal advice for you all.
Advice, in any form, carries a lot more weight when it is distributed with some amiable qualities. I apologize that my great act of injustice offended you enough to insult me directly. You definitely provided the information I was looking for, although first we had to get past the initial disgust.
So thank you, and please, do something this weekend that makes you a little less defiant.

 

[quincy]

... You definitely provided the information I was looking for ...

What I have quoted above of your post is really the best you can hope for in a forum.

Not all information that you run across anywhere will be delivered with "amiable qualities" but, quite frankly, correct information delivered in any form is better than incorrect information delivered with a smile.

Following, from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), is a link to a guide on the due process FlyingRon mentioned earlier.

FIRE's Guide to Due Process and Campus Justice: 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/

You might find it helpful.