9.2.5 Student Academic Integrity Policy 2024/2025 - Concordia University of Edmonton

9.2.5 Student Academic Integrity Policy

Acknowledgment: Some language in this policy has been adapted with permission from the Thompson Rivers University’s Draft Academic Integrity Policy (2022).

A. Introduction

All students have a responsibility to complete their academic work with integrity and with respect for the contributions of others. Students are expected to avoid plagiarism, cheating, collusion, and other forms of academic dishonesty. Assignments should demonstrate independent thought and original work. At Concordia University of Edmonton, students belong to a community of learning based on honesty and truth.

This academic integrity policy applies specifically to students. For more information about research expectations, please see the Academic Integrity and Ethics Policy (HR3100), which applies to the entire academic community, including students, faculty and staff.

B. Values

Concordia University of Edmonton’s mission involves “preparing students to be independent thinkers, ethical leaders, and citizens for the common good.” In order to achieve this goal, all members of the campus community have a responsibility to understand the nature of academic integrity and uphold the university’s core values.

The International Centre for Academic Integrity (ICAI) defines academic integrity as “a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to six fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage” (The Fundamental Values of Academic Integrity, 3rd edition).

These values encourage students to adopt a holistic framework that informs all their academic work and focuses on a positive and reflective approach to research and learning.

Honesty

Honesty is the foundation of academic integrity and consists of openness, transparency, and a desire to be truthful. Honesty involves considering multiple perspectives, demonstrating personal credibility, and being accountable for your work. Honesty requires that faculty and students demonstrate impartiality and respect for the truth.

Trust

Trust is key to a community of learning, as scholars demonstrate respect for the ideas of others through proper attribution and acknowledgement of sources. Students and faculty build trust through proper communication, reasonable expectations, and clear academic standards.

Fairness

Students should complete their work by relying on their own skills, showing academic rigour, and adhering to regulations. Faculty should be reasonable and objective, communicate in a manner that is equitable and transparent, and treat students without bias or favoritism.

Respect

Respect involves an attitude of appreciation, not only for others, but also for yourself. Students respect the contributions and creative works of others by giving credit and using proper citation. Respect also involves a commitment to the learning community, for example by meeting assignment expectations and deadlines and having a positive learning mindset. In return, students can expect to be treated in a respectful manner that honours their authentic contributions.

Responsibility

Responsibility refers to the duty to uphold academic integrity as a member of the university community. Individual responsibility includes a learner’s willingness to stand up against wrongdoing and resist peer pressure. Community responsibility is the shared duty of those in positions of authority to support learners and keep them accountable.

Courage

Courage is not only a value, but also a skill and competency that can be developed with practice. Being courageous means acting in accordance with your convictions. In the context of academic integrity, it involves sharing your own ideas and being willing to receive feedback and criticism. The pursuit of academic excellence is not without risk and challenges, and completing your own work with integrity requires courage.

For more information, please see The Fundamental Values of Academic Integrity (3rd ed.), International Center for Academic Integrity [ICAI], 2021.

C. Definitions

Appeal Committee: The Appeal Committee is the Academic Student Discipline Committee, established according to the Bylaws of the General Faculties Council, appendix 3B.
Discipline Officer: The Discipline Officer is a faculty member charged with the responsibility for assessing allegations of academic dishonesty and for assigning penalties. The Discipline Officer is typically the Department Chair or another faculty member designated by the Dean. The Discipline Officer is the individual with oversight of the course in which the academic dishonesty is alleged to have occurred. In the case that the instructor and the Discipline Officer are the same person, the Discipline Officer will be the Dean.
Dean: The Dean is the Dean with oversight of the course in which the academic dishonesty is alleged to have occurred. Should the academic misconduct happen outside of a particular course, the case will be dealt with by the Dean with oversight of the program in which the student is enrolled.
Business Day: A business day is a day on which Concordia University of Edmonton’s administrative offices are open.

D. Responsibilities:

Deans and Discipline Officers responsible for:

Ensuring that cases of academic dishonesty are dealt with in a manner that is fair, transparent, and consistent.
Ensuring that students’ rights to privacy are protected.
Supporting faculty in their efforts to foster a culture of academic integrity.

Instructors are responsible for:

Making expectations under this policy clear to students (e.g., in course materials).
Investigating all suspected academic dishonesty.
Providing students the opportunity to share their perspective when they are accused of wrongdoing.
Reporting all significant infractions to the Discipline Officer.
Contributing to a culture of academic integrity.
Informing students of their right to appeal decisions they consider unfair.

Students are responsible for:

Ensuring that they have read and understood this policy.
Seeking clarification from their instructor whenever they are unsure of what conduct is permissible.
Refraining from any actions that go against the six values of academic integrity.
Refraining from assisting others in departing from the six values of academic integrity.;
Reporting any academic dishonesty they witness.

E. Types of Academic Misconduct

There are many types of academic misconduct, but what they have in common is an attempt to gain an unfair advantage in the completion of academic work. Such actions run counter to the values of academic integrity. The following list of typical offenses is not meant to be exhaustive.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the inclusion of someone else’s words, structure, ideas, reasoning, images, or data as one’s own work. Such information must be acknowledged through complete, accurate, and specific citations.

Self-plagiarism involves reusing your own work without acknowledging the original source.

Particularly in the following situations students can avoid plagiarism by citing sources accurately and following proper citation rules:

Whenever the student quotes another person’s actual words.
Whenever the student uses another person’s idea, opinion, or theory, even if it is completely paraphrased in the student’s own words.
Whenever the student cites facts, statistics, or other illustrative materials from a published source or a lecture when that material is not considered common knowledge.
Whenever the student uses images or other materials produced by another person.

Citing facts or statistics or using illustrative materials considered to be common knowledge is not considered plagiarism.

Cheating

Cheating is an act of deception by which a student tries to gain an advantage. Cheating often involves unfair assistance from other students. Students are expected to demonstrate their own mastery of the material without misrepresentation or reliance on the work of their peers.

Examples of cheating include, but are not limited to the following:

Copying or attempting to copy from another student’s test or examination, assignment, or other form of assessment.
Permitting another student to copy on a test, assignment, or other form of assessment.
Using the course textbook, electronic devices, or other unauthorized aids during a test.
Sharing information or answers on assignments and tests unless the instructor has specifically authorized collaborative work.
Impersonating another person in a test or other assessment.
Having a third party edit any submitted assignment, unless authorized by the instructor with guidelines as to the extent of editing allowed.

Misrepresentation

Misrepresentation includes a broad range of infractions, where a student is misrepresenting themselves, their identity, their student data, or their academic work.

Examples of misrepresentation include, but are not limited to the following:

Multiple Submissions

Students are not permitted to submit all or part of an essay or assignment completed for another course without the consent of the instructor of the second course.

Improper Collaboration

Improper collaboration occurs when students share their work beyond the boundaries set by the instructor for individual and group assignments. When done intentionally this is often called collusion. Students should be cautious about sharing their own work with others. Each student is responsible for doing their best to prevent others from copying work without permission. If in doubt, students should check with their instructor to see what is permissible.

Contract Cheating

Contract cheating occurs when a student relies on a third party to complete their academic work for them. This might be another student or tutor, or it could be an online service (e.g., a paper mill).

Fabrication

Fabrication is the intentional use of invented information or the falsification of research or other findings. Examples include:

Listing sources in a bibliography that were not used in the academic exercise.

Inventing data, statistics, and other information.

Claiming that a source contains information when it does not.

Except for rare situations where the assignment calls for it (e.g., creative writing), making up information demonstrates a lack of academic integrity.

In addition to these examples, many other offences can be characterized as forms of academic misconduct. These include falsifying transcripts, hacking into the university’s systems (e.g., to change grades), stealing an answer key, etc. In each case, the nature of the offense will determine the appropriate penalty.

F. Penalties for Academic Dishonesty

The penalty for academic dishonesty is dependent on the severity of the offense. In keeping with the values of honesty, fairness, and respect, each case must be judged on its own merit, keeping in mind previous offences, the nature of the wrongdoing, and any mitigating circumstances. The instructor, Discipline Officer, or Dean will need to use discretion and judgment in determining the appropriate course of action. Penalties are organized into separate tiers.

Factors that determine if an offense is minor, serious, or major include the level of the course, the weighting of the assignment, personal circumstances, and the clarity of the instructions. No accusation may be made without clear evidence of wrongdoing.

Should a Discipline Officer or Dean discover that there is no wrongdoing or that the offense is less serious than initially thought, the case will either be dismissed or referred to a lower tier.

In cases involving multiple students, each student’s privacy must be respected. Students must be dealt with individually, including in all communication.

Offenses may be investigated even after the completion of the course or after the student has graduated.

Tier 1: Minor Offenses

Participants: Students, Instructors, the Registrar’s Office.

Examples of minor offenses include, but are not limited to the following:

copying a phrase or two without proper citation.
demonstrating negligence in crediting all sources fully or accurately.
providing excessive help to another student.

Penalties for minor offenses are assigned by the instructor, at their discretion. A range of penalties are appropriate. Examples include:

The deduction of a percentage of the grade (e.g., 5-20%).
The requirement to redo the assignment.
The requirement to redo the assignment, with a grade penalty.
The requirement to do another assignment.

Minor penalties are applied by the instructor. The instructor does not need to notify the Discipline Officer, and no official letter of reprimand is sent. However, before assigning a penalty, the instructor must inform the Registrar’s Office about the nature of the offense (providing also the student’s name, ID, email, and course). The Registrar’s Office will acknowledge receipt and keep a note about the offense in the student’s file. This note will not appear on grade reports and transcripts.

Should the student have at least one previous note on file, the Registrar’s Office will inform the Discipline Officer. In such cases, the Discipline Officer will consult with the instructor and decide if the case should be upgraded to a serious or major offense.

Tier 2: Serious Offenses

Participants: Students, Instructors, the Discipline Officer, the Registrar’s Office.

Examples of serious offenses include, but are not limited to the following:

copying significant portions of an assignment without proper citation.
cheating on a test.
completing another student’s assignment.
sharing a test without permission.
fabricating data and information.
repeatedly committing minor offenses.
a minor offense committed in a graduate course.

In such cases, the process will be as follows:

the instructor will notify the Discipline Officer, providing evidence of academic dishonesty as well as the student’s information (name, email, ID, course).
the Discipline Officer will inform the Registrar’s Office and check if this is a first offense. If not, see Tier 3.
the Registrar’s Office will provide information about all previous notes and letters of reprimand on record.
the Discipline Officer will inform the instructor whether the wrongdoing is a first offense. The Discipline Officer may also provide advice about an appropriate penalty.
the instructor (or the Discipline Officer on their behalf) will attempt to meet with the student to explain the offense and assign a penalty (whether during the meeting or subsequently). Should the student refuse to meet within 5 business days, the instructor may communicate the penalty via email. If the student is noncompliant, the instructor may increase the penalty.
the Discipline Officer will send a letter of reprimand to the student (copying the Registrar’s Office and the instructor), outlining the circumstances of the student’s dishonesty and warning that further similar behaviour will lead to a stiffer penalty. The Discipline Officer may also require the student to meet in person in order to discuss the offense.
The Registrar’s Office will add a note (and the letter of reprimand) to the student’s file. (See Tier 1 for further information about notes).

Penalties for serious offenses are assigned by the instructor. The instructor may consult with the Discipline Officer to gain an outside perspective. A range of penalties are appropriate. Examples include:

The requirement to redo the assignment, with a significant grade penalty (e.g., 15–30%).
The requirement to do another assignment with a significant grade penalty (e.g., 15–30%).
Failure of the assignment, with no chance to redo the assignment.

Tier 3: Major Offenses

Participants: Students, the Instructor, the Discipline Officer, the Dean, and the Registrar’s Office.

Examples of major offenses include, but are not limited to the following:

all repeat serious offenses.
any first offense that is particularly egregious. Examples include:
- copying or buying an entire assignment worth a large percentage of the grade in a senior course with clear instructions around academic integrity.
- running a cheating scheme involving numerous students.
- hacking into the system to change grades (see also Tier 4).
- academic dishonesty on the graduate level.

In such cases, the process will be as follows:

the instructor will notify the Discipline Officer, providing evidence of academic dishonesty as well as the student’s information (name, email, ID).
The Discipline Officer will inform the Registrar’s Office and check if this is a first offense.
The Registrar’s Office will provide information about all previous notes and letters of reprimand on record.
Due to the serious nature of the offense, the Discipline Officer will refer the case to the Dean. The instructor is encouraged to meet with the student, but is not required to do so.
the Dean will attempt to meet with the student to explain the offense and assign a penalty (whether during the meeting or subsequently). Should the student refuse to meet within 10 business days, the Dean may increase the penalty (including selecting a penalty from Tier 4) and communicate it to the student.
The Dean will send a letter of reprimand to the student, copying the Discipline Officer, the Registrar’s Office, and the instructor.
The Registrar’s Office will add a note (and the letter of reprimand) to the student’s file. (See Tier 1 for further information about notes).

The standard penalty for major offenses is failure in the course, but the Dean may add additional requirements, including:

additional academic integrity training.
meeting with a member from Student Life and Learning.
writing a plan of action to avoid future wrongdoing.
Notation of academic dishonesty on the student’s transcript. This penalty will remain on the student’s transcript for a period of two years from the end of the relevant course.

Tier 4: Major Offenses Requiring Suspension or Expulsion

Participants: Students, the Instructor, the Discipline Officer, the Dean, and the Registrar’s Office.

This category is reserved for extraordinary and significant departures from academic integrity. This includes all third offenses as well as any wrongdoing that is an extremely serious departure from the principles of academic integrity.

In all such cases, the process will be as follows:

the instructor will notify the Discipline Officer, providing evidence of academic dishonesty as well as the student’s information (name, email, ID).
the Discipline Officer will inform the Registrar’s Office and check if this is a first offense.
The Registrar’s Office will provide information about all previous notes and letters of reprimand on record.
Due to the serious nature of the offense, the Discipline Officer will refer the case to the Dean. The instructor is encouraged to meet with the student, but is not required to do so.
the Dean will attempt to meet with the student to explain the offense and assign a penalty (whether during the meeting or subsequently).
The Dean will communicate the penalty to the student in a letter of reprimand, copying the Discipline Officer, the Registrar’s Office, and the instructor.
The Registrar’s Office will add a note (and the letter of reprimand) to the student’s file. (See Tier 1 for further information about notes).

The penalty for Tier 4 cases is failure in the course, as well as either suspension from an academic program or expulsion from the university. In addition, a notation of academic dishonesty will be added to the student’s transcript.

The Dean may also require the students to complete one or more of the following as a requirement for future readmission or the completion of a suspension:

additional academic integrity training.
meeting with a member from Student Life and Learning.
writing a plan of action to avoid future wrongdoing.

The following rules apply to Tier 4 penalties:

Notation of Academic Dishonesty on the student’s transcript: When the penalty accompanies suspension, it may remain on the transcript for a length of time specified by the Dean. In a case of expulsion, the notation may, at the discretion of the Dean, remain on the transcript permanently.
Suspension: The student is required to withdraw from Concordia University of Edmonton for a specified period of time, ranging from one semester to three years. Upon completion of the period of suspension, the student will be eligible for reinstatement. The student’s academic program is subject to the Statute of Limitations, section 9.1.1.
Expulsion: The student is required to withdraw from Concordia University of Edmonton for more than three years or indefinitely.

In cases of suspension or expulsion, the following provisions apply:

A suspension or expulsion takes effect on the date of the Dean’s decision, unless the Dean specifies a different effective date. For example, the Dean may allow a student to finish examinations in other courses at the end of a semester before starting a suspension.
A student shall receive credit for any course passed before the effective date of a suspension or expulsion.
Withdrawals resulting from a decision of suspension or expulsion will show as a grade of WF on the student’s transcript.
In a case of suspension or expulsion, no fee refund for the current term is granted.

G. Reporting Academic Misconduct

All members of the learning community are responsible for reporting any misconduct they witness. An individual who believes that a student is guilty of academic dishonesty shall first speak to the instructor of the course. (If the academic misconduct is not connected to a specific course, the individual must report the incident to the discipline officer in their own program).

If the individual cannot contact the instructor, or is not satisfied with the results of the conversation with the instructor, the individual shall contact the appropriate Discipline Officer.

When a report of academic dishonesty is made, the individual who receives the report will respect the privacy of the person making the allegation until the matter has been investigated.

No findings will be published until the factual truth of the allegation(s) has been confirmed. Discretion will be used in revealing the name of the individual making the allegation to the student charged.

In cases involving communication with multiple students, anonymity is ensured by referring to students in a way that does not identify them by name or student number (e.g., “Student B”).

H. Appeals

If found guilty of academic dishonesty, a student may launch an appeal. The appeal may be based on the denial of the offence and/or the severity of the penalties imposed. A procedural error is not by itself a sufficient reason to overturn a penalty. All appeals must be submitted electronically.

The levels of appeal are as follows:

The student may appeal a decision of the instructor to the Discipline Officer within 10 business days of receiving the instructor’s decision.
The student may appeal a decision of the Discipline Officer to the Dean within 10 business days of receiving the Discipline Officer’s decision.
The student may appeal a decision of the Dean to the Appeal Committee within 15 business days of receiving the Dean’s decision. The appeal must be submitted to the Registrar, must state the full grounds of the appeal, and must be signed by the student. The Registrar will inform the coordinator of the Appeal Committee, who will convene a meeting to review the appeal. The decision of the Appeal Committee is final.

During the appeal period, a student appealing a decision of suspension or expulsion may register for classes and continue to attend classes. However, marks for assignments and examinations may be withheld at the discretion of the Dean until such a time as the appeal is successful. If the student loses the appeal, no credit will be given for work completed subsequent to the date given in the original decision.

Should the case go to the Appeal Committee, the following process will be observed:

The Registrar shall provide the coordinator of the Appeal Committee with the evidence so far available.
The Appeal Committee may also reach out to the Discipline Officer or Dean involved to gather additional information.
The Appeal Committee shall meet to review the evidence and determine its procedures.
Written notice must be provided to all the parties involved, regarding date, time, and place of any hearing(s). If the student, the instructor, Discipline Officer, and/or the Dean neglects or refuses to appear at the time of the hearing, the Appeal Committee may, in its discretion, proceed with the hearing.
As far as possible, the proceedings of the Appeal Committee should be confidential.
Normally, a hearing should be held within 30 days of receipt of an appeal.
The Appeal Committee may accept any evidence that it considers proper, and may request additional material as it sees fit.
The Appeal Committee shall hear the argument of both sides to the appeal and then, by majority vote, shall determine whether or not an offence has been committed and uphold or quash the decision under appeal. Where a decision against a student is upheld, the Appeal Committee may confirm, vary, or suspend the penalty imposed.
Within 5 business days of the decision having been reached, the coordinator of the Appeal Committee shall communicate the decision in writing to the student, the instructor, the Discipline Officer, the Registrar’s Office, and the Dean.
If the Appeal Committee wishes, it may also forward recommendations for changes in the policy or in procedures under the policy to the Academic Standards Committee.