Academic Support Centre
Academic Integrity
What is Academic Misconduct?
A breach of Academic Integrity is known as Academic Misconduct, which is any action that compromises the integrity of the scholarship pursued at the University.
Examples of Academic Misconduct
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Cheating
- Impersonation
- Plagiarism
- Improper research practices
- Dishonesty in publication
- Dissemination of information without permission
- Abuse of confidentiality
- Falsification or unauthorized modification of an academic document/record
- Obstruction of the activities of another
- Encouraging, enabling or causing others to do or attempt any of the above
Tips to Avoid Academic Misconduct
Read the Policy on Academic Honesty
Information about Academic Integrity is typically included in your course outline or, you can refer directly to the Senate Policy on Academic Honesty.
Take an online tutorial
Attend a workshop
Attend an Academic Integrity workshop at Scott Library (also offered online.
Refer to the SPARK checklist
SPARK is the Student Papers and Academic Research Kit. It is a resource for researching and writing successful academic papers. Refer to the SPARK Academic Integrity Checklist when completing your assignment.
If you’re worried that something might be academic misconduct, consult your professor/TA before you hand in your paper, assignment or lab. Asking afterwards will not help in avoiding any possible issues!
How does the Investigation Process Work?
Step 1: Exploratory Meeting
If there is any concern that you may have breached the Policy Academic Honesty, you will be invited to attend an exploratory meeting.
This is an informational meeting with your Course Director and another representative of the Department/Faculty, where you will be asked questions about the completion of your assignment, paper or exam, sources used to complete it, or any possible collaboration on it, to determine whether or not there are any reasonable and probable grounds to proceed with a charge of academic misconduct.
You will be provided with at least 7 days notice of this meeting, along with a brief description of the reason for the meeting.
You can be accompanied to the meeting by another person of your choosing, if that makes you more comfortable. But note that generally questions about the assignment in question, can only be answered by you (the author).
Note: The meeting will proceed whether or not you decide to go! Make sure to give enough notice ahead of time if you need to reschedule for any reason
TIPS:
Be honest and forthcoming; if you are certain there was no breach of academic honesty, then don’t feel guilty, and certainly don’t act guilty - but do remain calm, patient and respectful.
If you do wish to admit to academic misconduct then do provide an explanation as to why and how it occurred and show remorse.
Step 2: Results of the Exploratory Meeting
Either...
It is agreed that no breach of academic honesty occurred—no records of the matter or the meeting would be retained. The work in question will be graded as usual.
OR...
It is decided that sufficient grounds exist to proceed with a charge. Then one of the following scenarios will apply:
IF YOU DO NOT ADMIT TO A BREACH OF ACADEMIC HONESTY:
You have the right to contest your Course Director’s charge of academic misconduct, in which case you will have to attend a formal hearing to make your case.
If It is decided that sufficient grounds exist to proceed with a formal charge of academic misconduct, and you do not admit to the alleged breach, you will be required to sign a statement for the record, in which you confirm that you do not agree with the charge of academic misconduct.
A formal charge will then be prepared with a statement of the facts, and submitted to the responsible Faculty Committee, who will then schedule a formal hearing, where you will be invited to make your case for your innocence.
If you do admit to a breach of academic honesty and you agree with the penalty suggested by your Course Director:
Sign an admission, along with an agreement to the penalty recommendation, which will then be forwarded to the appropriate Faculty Committee, who will either impose the suggested penalty, or call a formal hearing to determine an appropriate penalty.
Note: If this is not your first charge, you will automatically have to attend a formal penalty hearing, regardless of agreement on a penalty with your Course Director. (Do expect a more severe penalty than in your first charge!)
If you do admit to a breach of academic honesty and you disagree with the penalty suggested by your Course Director:
Sign an admission, but note that you disagree with the Course Director’s suggestion of penalty.
This will be forwarded to the appropriate Faculty Committee, who call a formal hearing to determine an appropriate penalty. At the penalty hearing, you will have the opportunity to propose what you feel is an appropriate penalty.
Note however, that the final say on the penalty rests with the committee and they do not have to accept your proposal.
Step 3: Formal Hearing
This is a formal Faculty level hearing that works similarly to a court trial.
The responsible Faculty will give you all other relevant parties a copy of the charge, and of the materials submitted from the exploratory meeting, along with a copy of the procedures to be followed.
You will also receive a disclosure package of the Faculty’s case and evidence against you.
You will be given prior notice of the time and place of the hearing. If the day/time is not convenient, you have the option of contacting the coordinating office, and request that it be rescheduled for a more convenient day/time.
You have the right to representation (including a family member, friend, professional representative or a lawyer) if you decide you need support.
You may call witnesses, but you have to inform the committee of your intention to call witnesses and file their names at least 7 days before the hearing.
Should you decide to acknowledge the accuracy of the charges before the hearing, you may waive the right to a hearing by submitting a written statement that admits guilt and waives the right to a formal hearing.
During the hearing process, the Associate Dean or their representative will make a presentation formally laying out the charge. They will also present all evidence/witnesses relevant to the matter to the committee. The Course Director may also be present to provide testimony about the charge. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions about the charge, evidence or witnesses.
Then you will get the opportunity to present your case, evidence and witnesses. The Associate Dean or their representative will have the opportunity to ask you any questions relevant to charge, or about any evidence or witnesses you present.
The Faculty Committee can ask either party any questions they may have about the issue, at any point during the hearing.
Then both parties have to leave the hearing room, and the Faculty Committee then deliberates on the matter in- camera (private). Once a verdict (decision) is reached, the committee invites both parties back into the room for the announcement of the decision.
If you are found not guilty, then the committee forwards the assignment in question to the department for grading.
If you are found guilty, then you must suggest an appropriate penalty and give reasons.
The Associate Dean or their representative, also can suggest an appropriate penalty.
The Faculty Committee will then again go in-camera to determine the penalty. Once a decision is made, both parties will then again be invited back for the penalty announcement.
A formal record of the proceeding will be sent to you from the Faculty at a later date, outlining the results as well as any possible routes of appeal.
FAQs
Can I bring in someone to support/represent me?
Yes, you do have the right to representation (which may include a lawyer) at the formal hearing.
What if I don’t make it to the formal hearing?
The hearing will proceed with or without you, followed by a decision made and sanctions imposed, unless you can establish (before the hearing), that there are circumstances beyond your control that make an attending the set date and time impossible, or at least unfairly burdensome.
Tip:
If you know that you won’t be able to make it to your hearing, reschedule as soon as possible! Faculty committees are usually quite accommodating.
Will past offences come up?
No past offences will come unless and until you either plead guilty or are found guilty of academic misconduct. Then, at the penalty hearing, the committee will be made aware of prior academic offences, as that would affect the severity of the penalty chosen.
What kind of penalty should I expect?
Depending on the circumstances of your case, penalties can range anywhere from a certain deduction in percentage from an assignment, to failure in the course, to suspension or even expulsion from the university.
Refer to Sections 2.2 and 2.3 of the Senate Policy for more details.
Can I appeal the Committee’s decision?
A finding of academic misconduct, and the subsequent penalty/sanction decision is considered binding.
However, an appeal can be filed on the grounds of new evidence, or evidence of procedural irregularity in the committee’s consideration of the case. These are the only grounds on which an appeal can be made. The appeal must be made in writing, with evidence attached to the claims made about the matter. If the appeal is successful, then a new hearing will be scheduled at the Senate level. An outline of a detailed appeals process is included in the formal record of proceedings which the Faculty will send to you after the hearing.