Life by Zach: The Hearing

I stared at the letter for what seemed like an hour, waiting for my heartbeat to subside. I have never felt this kind of panic before, and I really had no idea what my first step should be. I put my head in my hands and sat there for what seemed like an eternity. My whole future, everything I have worked for, was now in danger of slipping right through my fingers. How could I have been so stupid?

 I picked up my phone and did what came naturally – I don’t even think I stopped to process what I was doing, my fingers were acting on their own and before I knew it, I was calling Aleah. She has always had the capacity to soothe me, to make me feel better in moments that seem completely hopeless, and this was definitively one of those. My head was hanging low as I listened to the ringing, and with each one I knew that she wouldn’t answer.

“It’s late, she’s probably sleeping.”   I thought to myself.  I hung up without leaving a message.  I wouldn’t even know what to say. “Hey Aleah, it’s me, we haven’t talked for a while but there’s a good chance I’m getting kicked out of school. What’s new with you?” I think not. I can’t lie, I was immensely disappointed that she didn’t answer.

I sighed and put the letter down, wondering how things could have gone wrong so quickly. I trusted Andrew to use my paper as guidance on how to begin his research, not to turn it in as his own work. What makes this worse is that Andrew isn’t a stranger to me, he’s Ben’s fraternity brother, someone that should know what it means to be loyal to your friends.  I know my father always told me that I am going to learn so many lessons in college, not just in my classes but also about life and who the real people are, but I never really understood what he meant until this moment.  

“Not everyone is who they say they are son,” my dad used to say, and while I believed it, there’s nothing like actually learning a lesson like this on your own. Obviously I would have to take responsibility for my part in all of this, but will the Disciplinary Committee believe my intentions were not bad?

The letter stated a hearing would be held two days from now, which was the same exact day as my interview for the internship. Could things possibly get any worse right now? I finally managed to fall asleep that night, but I tossed and turned and just couldn’t get comfortable.

The room seemed massive to me, with dark walls and dark mahogany furniture. A large table was set up at the end of the room, and 5 very stern looking people were sitting facing me, peering at me over their glasses with what can only be described as disgust. I was sitting in a small chair facing the table, my hands clammy, I was hot and cold at the same time and thought that surely my heartbeat could be heard echoing through the room.

“Mr.Andrews, our committee has conducted a thorough investigation of this matter.  It appears that a paper was submitted last week in Introduction to Law by an Andrew Johnson. Do you know this student?”

“I, I do know him yes..” I stammered.

I swear they all exchanged knowing looks, like I had just admitted to all of their suspicions.

“The paper that was submitted is identical to one submitted by you three semesters ago for this same class. Mr. Andrews, do you know the definition of plagiarism?”

“Yes, I…”

“The practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as one’s own.”

Ok I guess that was a rhetorical question.

Silence filled the room as the panel of professors and deans continued to stare at me.

I wiped my hands on my pants and took a deep breath. “May I speak?” I asked.

“This is a clear case of plagiarism and this University has a zero tolerance policy for cheating.”

“I understand, I just wanted a moment to explain my side of this situation.”

At that moment the door to the conference room swung open and the professor for Introduction to Law walked in. I wasn’t sure if this was a good thing or not, but I did build a relationship with him because I regularly stayed after class to ask questions about the material or discuss some of that days readings that had been of particular interest to me.

“Professor Henke, thank you for coming to the hearing.  Mr. Andrews, it was Professor Henke that brought this matter to our attention. It appears he remembered this essay because it was particularly well written and was immediately suspicious when Mr.Johnson turned it in as his own work.”

“Professor Henke, please allow me to tell you that I did not intend to give that paper to Andrew to turn in.  He came to me for help with his own paper and asked if he could borrow my notes and paper as guidance for writing his own. I never told him that it would be ok to use my paper, I never even imagined that he would.”

Once again, silence filled the room. God this is AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“Professor Henke, would you like to make a statement for the Committee to take into consideration?”

Professor Henke turned and looked at me. I couldn’t read his facial expression at all, did he look angry? Or sad? This anxiety is killing me.

“Yes, I actually would like to say something.”