Academic Integrity Process for Faculty/Staff
Step 1: Submit a grade of GWR (grade withheld pending the review of an alleged academic offence) with the class grades and/or as an amendment through eMarks and request the department Chair to approve this as soon as possible.
- This will prevent the student from dropping the course.
- If the suspected offence has occurred at the end of the term and final course grades are due before you have a chance to meet with the student, submit a grade of GWR for the student and send out an invitation to the student to meet with you.
Step 2: Compile all the information that is relevant to the matter, including but not limited to:
- the student’s piece of work in question
- any sources of plagiarism or copying (Ouriginal report, online sources, other students’ work, etc.)
- original assignment, exam or test with instructions and/or cover sheets
- answer keys and/or grading rubrics
- course syllabus and other information containing directions
- course grades for the student to that point
- a record of all Quercus or email communication with student related to the academic integrity matter
- for further details, refer to Guide to Supporting Documents/Evidence.
Step 3: Invite student to a meeting to discuss the situation, as per C.I.(A)2-5 under the Code. Refer to the faculty-student meeting checklist for helpful tips.
- The meeting can be via phone, video chat or email conversation.
- Discuss concerns about the piece of work and how to avoid this in future. Show student their work where possible.
- If this meeting clarifies the matter, you do not need to forward the case to the department Chair or to the Academic Integrity Office.
- If it is determined that an offence was committed, inform the student:
- The case is being reported to the Chair and the Academic Integrity Office (if applicable)
- They may not drop the course
- If they do, they will be reinstated into the course
- They may not CR/NCR the course
- They should continue working on all of their course work
- A grade of GWR (grade withheld pending the review of an alleged academic offence) will stay on their transcript for the course until the matter is resolved
- The Chair or Academic Integrity Office will be in touch via email with next steps
- If the student does not respond to at least two meeting invites, do not delay your report to the Chair - include the email attempts to set up the meeting in your supporting evidence.
Note: instructors are not empowered to sanction students under the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters.
Step 4: Complete and submit the Coursework Offences Allegation Form with as much detail as possible along with supporting evidence and documentation to the Chair. A comprehensive guide on what documents to submit can be found via this link. Please also include the following information:
- all course grades for the student to that point
- a record of all Quercus or email communication with the student to discuss the matter
- a copy of the course syllabus
Step 5: Once the case is sent to the Chair:
- Continue to mark the student’s other coursework, including the piece of work in question.
- If the course is ongoing, continue to mark all of the student’s course work and provide the marks when requested by the Academic Integrity Office.
Step 6: Once the Chair reviews and signs off on the case, submit the case and all relevant evidence and supporting documentation via the Office of Academic Integrity SharePoint.
Step 7: Once the matter is resolved by the Academic Integrity team, the instructor and department Chair will be informed via email and asked to update the marks to reflect the Dean’s Designate’s decision.
- When it is suspected that the student was using an unauthorized aid (cell phone or other electronic device) during the quiz/test/exam, the person invigilating the assessment must download and complete the Exam Unauthorized Device Form and the Exam Incident Report Form.
- When it is suspected that the student was committing an academic offense (other than using an unauthorized aid) during a quiz/test/exam, the person invigilating the assessment must download and complete the Exam Incident Report Form.
- Let the student know that this incident will be reported to the Instructor and the Academic Integrity Office.
- Submit the completed Exam Incident Report Form and/or the Exam Unauthorized Device Form to the Instructor along with any supporting evidence gathered.
- The instructor will complete the Exam Offences Allegation Form and submit all the forms, supporting documentation, and additional documents (copy of exam, exam instructions, course syllabus etc.) to the Chair for approval and then to the Academic Integrity Office via the Office of Academic Integrity SharePoint
- Confiscate paper cheat sheets.
- Make a note of what is written on body parts, calculators, cheat sheets, etc. If you have a cell phone with a camera, take a picture of the writing or aid that was found during the exam.
- Download and complete the following forms: Exam Offences Allegation form and Exam Incident Report.
- Let the student know that this incident will be reported to the Academic Integrity Office.
- Submit the completed forms along with the additional documents (copy of exam, exam instructions, course syllabus etc.) with the report to the Academic Integrity Office via the the Office of Academic Integrity SharePoint.
- Confiscate the device.
- Download and complete the following forms: Exam Offences Allegation form, Exam Incident Report, and Exam – Unauthorized Electronic Device Form.
- Return the device to the student at the end of the exam after getting the student to sign the Electronic Device form.
- Let the student know that this incident will be reported to the Academic Integrity Office.
- Send the completed forms along with the additional documents (copy of exam, exam instructions, course syllabus etc.) with the report to the Academic Integrity Office via the the Office of Academic Integrity SharePoint.
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If the assignment in question is worth 10% or less and the student has no prior offences, then the matter can be resolved by the academic department.
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If the assignment in question is worth less than 10% and the student has a prior offence or does not respond to requests to meet with the professor, the case should be sent to the Academic Integrity Office.
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If the assignment in question is worth more than 10%, it should be sent to the Academic Integrity Office.
Cases may be sent to the Vice Provost’s office for resolution, typically in instances when:
- The alleged offence in question is of a more serious nature (i.e. forgery).
- The student has been unresponsive to Academic Integrity’s meeting invitations and all other communication.
In some situations, you may be notified via email by the Office of Governing Council that the case has been scheduled for a tribunal hearing.
Some cases at the VP level may be resolved via Minutes of Settlement – when this occurs, the Academic Integrity Office will contact you via email to amend the student’s final grade based on an outlined sanction.
Finally, in some instances, the Vice Provost may choose not to lay charges on the student and the case may be dismissed. The Academic Integrity Office will notify you via email to restore a student’s mark if this is the outcome.