ECPS Guideline for Issues Pertaining to Academic Honesty and Standards as Members of the ECPS Community

Academic Honesty and Standards

“All students are expected to behave as honest and responsible members of an academic community. Breach of those expectations or failure to follow the appropriate policies, principles, rules and guidelines of the University with respect to academic honesty may result in disciplinary action. It is the student’s obligation to inform himself or herself of the applicable standards for academic honesty. . . . If a student is in any doubt as to the standard of academic honesty in a particular course or assignment then the student must consult with the instructor as soon as possible, and in no case should a student submit an assignment if the student is not clear on the relevant standard of academic honesty. If an allegation is made against a student, the Registrar may place the student on academic hold until the President has made his or her final decision. When a student is placed on academic hold, the student is blocked from all activity in the Student Service Centre.”
(UBC Calendar, 2007/2008, Part V, Academic Regulations, p. 47).

ECPS Policy on Plagiarism.

Academic Assessment

“All work submitted by students (including without limitation, essays, dissertations, theses, examinations, tests, reports, presentations, problem sets, and tutorial assignments) may be reviewed by the University for authenticity and originality. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, such review may include the use of software tools and third party services including Internet-based services such as TurnItIn.com. By submitting work, students consent to their work undergoing such review and being retained in a database for comparison with other work submitted by students. The results of such review may be used in any University investigation or disciplinary proceedings.”
(UBC Calendar, 2007/2008, Part V, Academic Regulations, p. 48-49).

Departmental Procedures for Handling Issues Pertaining to Student Misconduct

Step One

The instructor informs student of the incident and should give the student the opportunity to meet and discuss the suspected academic misconduct. This meeting may not be required in all incidents of suspected academic misconduct.

The instructor may: a) require the student to re-do the work at issue or do
supplementary work;
b) assign a grade of zero or a failing grade for the work; or
c) assign a mark less harsh than failing for the work.

The instructor informs the Head of the Department and a memorandum is prepared by the instructor, copied to the student and the Head of the Department and filed in the student’s file.

Step Two

All incidents of suspected academic misconduct must be reported to the Dean’s Office with the exception of complaints arising through Enrolment Services or ARES and those no longer suspected following investigation by the querying instructor. Instructors will report under procedures established by the Dean’s Office, or where none exist, then directly to the Dean’s Office. In the Faculty of Education, the report is delivered to the Office of the Associate Dean of Research.

The Dean’s Office may investigate further (which may include a review by the Dean’s Office, the instructor, or others of the record and other work of the student) before dealing with the matter by:

  • dismissing the allegations
  • giving the student a warning or
  • referring the matter to the Presidents’s Committee for possible disciplinary measures by the President. (President’s Committee means the President’s Advisory Committee on Student Discipline).
  • When a student admits having committed the suspected academic misconduct—

The Dean’s office may investigate further before dealing with the matter. If the Dean’s Office refers the incident to the President’s Committee, the student will normally be given the opportunity to meet with the Dean’s Office to discuss and explain any extenuating circumstances of the academic misconduct.

  • When a student denies having committed the suspected academic misconduct, the Dean’s Office will investigate further. In the course of the investigation, the student will normally be given the opportunity to meet with the Dean’s Office to discuss the circumstances of suspected academic misconduct. If the investigation reveals academic misconduct by the student:
    • in the original incident only, then the Dean’s Office may refer the matter to the President’s Committee or;
    • in other incidents, then the Dean’s Office will refer the matter to the President’s Committee
Step Three

The student will be advised by the Dean’s Office that a record of its decision will be retained in the student’s file in the faculty of Education and that, in the event of any further allegation of academic misconduct, the incident may be used in determining the academic measures or discipline to be imposed for subsequent misconduct. The Dean’s Office will notify the President’s Committee and the instructor in writing of its decision.

For information on the process conducted by the President’s Committee and the appeals process please refer to pages 56-57, UBC Calendar, 2007/2008, Part V, Academic Reg.
Academic Appeal Procedures for ECPS.