UCD tops list of colleges for disciplining students

Information released to the Herald under the Freedom of Information Act shows that UCD issued disciplinary proceedings against more students than any other Dublin college - although it is also the largest.

For the 2013/2014 academic year, UCD enrolled 26,354 students across a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Most of the actions were taken in relation to cheating or breaches of rules.

A total of 136 of these students faced disciplinary actions after suspected breach of university rules and 30 UCD students faced sanctions for cheating or copying in exams or tests.

PUNISHMENT

These students faced a range of penalties including fines of up to €400 and partial exclusion.

A further 34 students were allegedly caught bringing notes or other banned materials, such as mobile phones, into exam halls. There are also four pending cases of plagiarism.

Meanwhile 16 students faced the potential of punishment due to a number of other issues including behavioural issues, bullying and misuse of college property.

Trinity College trailed UCD's disciplinary record by three students as 133 students faced proceedings there for breaking rules.

However the college did not offer a breakdown of rules breached or sanctions handed out.

At DCU, just 31 of some 12,000 students ran into similar trouble during term time. Plagiarism was the most common breach and seven non-academic matters arose during college at DCU.

SUSPENDED

DIT students fared the best of all Dublin colleges in 2013 and until December 2014 just two students fell foul of the college rules.

The college suspended both students. In the most recent case the student was also made to pay a fine.

hnews@herald.ie