University Regulations

Action by the Instructor

1. (a) It is the responsibility of instructors and supervisors to investigate incidents of suspected academic misconduct in their courses, or course sections. If an instructor or supervisor believes an incident of academic misconduct has occurred, the instructor or supervisor should meet with the student as soon as possible. The student is to be informed of the allegation and the facts that bear on the suspicion of misconduct. The student must be given a full opportunity to provide an explanation of the incident. If the instructor is satisfied that the incident was unintentional, the appropriate response may be a warning by the instructor. If the instructor decides there was no misconduct, the matter will be closed and no further action will be taken.
(b) If more than one student is involved in the misconduct, the instructor must meet with either each student separately or, if appropriate, students as a group. Sanctions imposed on students may vary, depending on their degree of involvement in the incident.

2. (a) If, following this meeting, the instructor believes a sanction should be imposed, the instructor must consult with the department chair to determine the appropriate sanction. The department chair must determine, through consultation with the dean, if the student has a prior record of academic misconduct. If the student has a prior record, the student must be notified that the case will be referred to the dean for further investigation.
(b) If the department chair is the instructor, the Department-in-Council will select another member of the department to serve as department chair for this case. If the dean is the instructor, the department chair will serve in the manner prescribed in this document. If, subsequently, the case is referred to the faculty dean, an Associate/Assistant Dean will be appointed to take the place of the dean in the proceedings outlined below.

3. If there is no prior record the instructor, in consultation with the department chair, will determine the sanction. The sanction may be the allocation of a zero for an assignment, project, test, exam, or other activity, which counts toward the final grade in the course. The student may be given the opportunity to repeat the assignment, project, test, exam or other activity. The most severe sanction that may be assigned at the departmental level will be a failure in the course. This requires the agreement of both the instructor and the department chair. Any additional sanction must be recommended to the dean.

4. Any sanction which does not go beyond failure in the course in question must be communicated to the student in writing with a copy to the dean of the faculty in which the incident took place, the dean of the faculty in which the student is registered (if different), and, as appropriate, the Registrar. The letter to the student will identify the incident, summarize the facts that bear on the case, and inform the student of the sanction(s) being imposed.

5. The student shall have a right to appeal the sanction to the Faculty Petitions Committee. The decision of the Faculty Petitions Committee is final and binding.

6. Disciplinary procedures may also be initiated against a student who, while not registered in the course where the alleged academic misconduct took place, is alleged to have assisted in the misconduct.

University Regulations Academic Privileges and Responsibilities Procedures For Investigation and Discipline in Cases of Allegations of Academic or Research Misconduct by Undergraduate Students

Official electronic version updated on February 4, 2002