FAQ

Academic integrity provides a foundation for the "freedom of inquiry and exchange of ideas" fundamental to the educational environment at Queen’s University. Queen’s students, faculty, administrators and staff all have responsibilities for supporting and upholding the fundamental values of academic integrity. Academic integrity is constituted by the five core fundamental values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility (see International Center for Academic Integrity) and by the quality of courage.

Any behaviour that compromises these values is considered a departure from academic integrity and may be subject to the remedies and sanctions as established by Smith School of Business and Queen’s University.

A departure from academic integrity is any form of academic misconduct that could result in gaining an unearned advantage over your fellow classmates. It also compromises and violates the University's core values of academic integrity. The following list offers some examples:

Plagiarism (presenting another's ideas or phrasings as one's own without proper acknowledgement)

Examples:

• Copying and pasting from the internet, a printed source, or other resource without proper acknowledgement
• Copying from another student; using direct quotations or large sections of paraphrased material in an assignment without appropriate acknowledgement
• Submitting the same piece of work in more than one course without the permission of the instructor(s)

Use of unauthorized materials

Examples:

• Possessing or using unauthorized study materials or aids during a test
• Copying from another's test paper
• Using unauthorized calculator or other aids during a test
• Unauthorized removal of materials from the library, or deliberate concealment of library materials

Facilitation (enabling another's breach of academic integrity)

Examples:

• Making information available to another student
• Knowingly allowing one's essay or assignment to be copied by someone else
• Buying or selling of term papers or assignments and submitting them as ones own for the purpose of plagiarism

Forgery (submitting counterfeit documents or statements)

Example: creating a transcript or other official document.

Falsification (misrepresentation of one's self, one's work or one's relation to the University)

Examples:

• Altering transcripts or other official documents relating to student records
• Impersonating someone in an examination or test
• Submitting a take-home examination written, in whole or in part, by someone else
• Fabricating or falsifying laboratory or research data

When an instructor believes that a departure from academic integrity in your work may have taken place, it is the instructor's responsibility to investigate the situation and to include you in the investigation. The first step for the instructor is to inform you of the potential departure, by email or registered letter.

An investigation does not automatically infer guilt. It means that the instructor has reason to think that you may have been involved in a departure from academic integrity and will look more closely into the situation. This includes giving you an opportunity to comment or respond.

The instructor's first step is to bring the matter to your attention. Using the Notice of Investigation form, the instructor will inform you of the following, by email or registered letter:

• The information on which the investigation is based (you should be supplied with all documents related to the investigation)
• The possible sanctions as outlined in the Smith School of Business Academic Integrity Policy
• Your right to respond to the investigation in writing or in person
• Your right to have representation for any response made to the investigation (you will be given contact information for Queen’s Coordinator of Dispute Resolution Mechanisms who will be able to advise you on matters of process and on obtaining an advisor)

The mandate of the Office of the University Ombudsperson is to provide independent, impartial and confidential advice. The Ombudsperson does not serve as an advocate for any party, but can provide information about student rights and responsibilities and guidance on policy and procedure.

• To seek the truth
• To clarify events or actions
• To provide an open and fair forum to both the instructor and the student to explain their actions
• To make the best decision based on all of the available evidence
• To respect all parties in the process
• To maintain an academic environment where all students can be successful and free to explore ideas, to build and advance knowledge, and to share the ideas and knowledge that emerges from a range of intellectual pursuits

You have 10 days after receiving the Notice of Investigation to contact the instructor to schedule a meeting or to indicate that you will respond in writing. Do not delay contacting the instructor, even if it is to tell the instructor that you need more time to prepare your response.

When agreeing on a meeting date, you should give yourself enough time to review the evidence provided by the instructor, assemble all drafts and related materials relevant to the particular piece of work at issue, and seek advice (if desired) from an informed member of the Queen's community, such as the Office of the University Ombudsperson, or anyone whose advice you trust and value (e.g. a friend, close relative, counselor, advisor).

If the instructor is satisfied with your explanation and determines that there are no grounds for a finding of departure from academic integrity, all documents related to the case will be destroyed and the instructor will inform you that the matter has been closed.

If the instructor believes that there is evidence that a departure from academic integrity has taken place, the instructor will complete a Finding of a Departure from Academic Integrity form and determine an appropriate sanction or remedy. At this point, evidence of previous departures from academic integrity becomes relevant, and the instructor with check with the Smith Dean's Office to find out if there is a previous finding on your record.

If you have a previous finding on record, the instructor will refer the case to the Smith Academic Integrity Panel for sanctioning. The instructor will use the Finding form to notify you of the finding and the referral to the Panel.

If there is no previous finding, the instructor will set a remedy or sanction and use the Finding form to notify you of the decision.

If you have a previous finding on record, the instructor will refer the new finding to the Smith Academic Integrity Panel for sanctioning. The instructor will use the Finding form to notify you of the finding and the referral. The Panel will review the case and may set a more serious sanction than an instructor can impose.

You may not drop the course while an investigation is underway; however there is no mechanism on QCARD to prevent you from doing so prior to the academic deadline. Therefore, the instructor will proceed with the investigation whether or not you drop the course. If your instructor, or the Smith Dean's Office, becomes aware that you have dropped the course while under investigation, you will be reinstated pending a decision on the case. If the investigation result is a finding of a departure from academic integrity, and it is discovered that you dropped the course, you will be reinstated at that time.

The investigation process can proceed without your participation, and a decision will be reached without your input after the stated time for you to respond has elapsed. The instructor will base the decision on the basis of the available evidence.

• It is important that you participate in the investigation process!
• Remember that you are always responsible for your actions
• Be aware of your rights and responsibilities – found in the Smith Academic Integrity Policy
• Seek advice from knowledgeable people, such as Queen's Office of the University Ombudsperson
• Respond promptly to each request for a meeting or information
• If you realize you have made a mistake, take responsibility for it. This allows the process to move to the important work of considering an appropriate remedy or sanction. Mitigating circumstances such as prompt admission of a departure from academic integrity or an expression of regret and a willingness to undertake educative remedies can be taken into account by the instructor to ensure that the penalty imposed is fair, reasonable and proportionate to the gravity of the departure
• Bring all information that you think is important to the meeting (e.g. study notes, rough drafts of papers, witness contact information, etc.)
• Tell the truth. Don't complicate matters by fudging the details. Such a strategy can, and does, lead students into more serious problems
• Trust the process – don't be defensive. If you aren't responsible, this will come out in the investigation. Remember the instructor who is investigating your situation is also exploring your innocence. Share everything that helps demonstrate that innocence
• You don't have to accept the decision of the instructor. You have the right to appeal the finding and/or the remedy or sanction to the Smith Academic Integrity Panel

The purpose of the meeting is for the instructor to hear your side of the story and to also explain why they have initiated the investigation. Be prepared to discuss, in detail, the work under question along with how the evidence came about and to explain your line of thinking in preparing the work the way you did. You may also choose to prepare something in writing to leave with the instructor, along with copies of drafts, etc. If you don't wish to meet in person during the investigation process, you may provide your input in writing.

This meeting is your opportunity to discuss the situation and to explain your actions from your point-of-view. The instructor will be trying to establish the facts of the case and look for evidence that will either support a finding or show that there is no basis for a finding. You can review the evidence the instructor has provided (e.g., the piece of work in question) and the reasons the instructor thinks the evidence shows that a departure from academic integrity may have taken place. You will have an opportunity to respond and to ask questions about the process.

Normally the instructor will not make a decision at the meeting, but will prepare a written decision for you following the meeting. The instructor should provide a written decision within 14 days of meeting with you, or within a reasonable period of time as demanded by the complexity of the case. Before making a decision, the instructor will review the facts that came out at the meeting, any written response you may have provided, and the other evidence available.

To assist you with this investigation meeting you may invite any advisor that you wish, e.g. a friend, family member, advocate, or legal support person of your choice, although the meeting is intended to be exploratory and not a legal proceeding. If you decide to bring legal counsel, however, you must advise the instructor in advance. You may contact the Office of the University Ombudsperson for information about student rights and responsibilities and guidance on policy and procedure by visiting their website at www.queensu.ca/ombuds, or by email at ombuds@queensu.ca.

To assist you with this meeting you may invite any advisor that you wish, e.g. a friend, family member, advocate, or legal support person of your choice, although the meeting is intended to be exploratory and not a legal proceeding. If you decide to bring legal counsel, however, you must advise the instructor in advance.

• You have the right to know that you are being investigated for a departure from academic integrity, the evidence upon which the investigation is being mounted, and the academic regulations that govern academic-integrity matters, including the possible sanctions or remedies
• You have the right to respond fully to the investigation. You may meet with the instructor in person and/or you may prepare a written response
• You have the right to obtain help in preparing your response
• If you wish to meet with the instructor, you may be accompanied by an advisor of your choice
• You have the right to be considered innocent of the charges until proven responsible by clear and convincing evidence
• You have the right to appeal the decision, if desired

Each case is treated individually; therefore, sanctions will vary from case to case. Depending on the nature of the departure, a sanction may consist of an educational process or it may be more severe.

a) Instructor-imposed sanctions – Where there is a finding of departure from academic integrity, the instructor is expected to assign an appropriate remedy or sanction that reflects the extent and severity of the departure, and past precedents at Smith School of Business. The instructor may consult with the Smith Dean’s Office concerning the matter. The range of remedies or sanctions that the instructor can impose includes:

• An oral or written warning
• A learning experience involving a rewriting or revision of the original piece of work the submission of a new piece of work
• The completion of other work
• The deduction of partial or total marks for the assignment/exam
• A failing grade (down to a grade of zero) in the course. If the penalty amounts to a failure in the course, you may NOT drop the course regardless of the drop deadlines

b) Academic Integrity Panel-imposed sanctions – If the finding made by the instructor appears to warrant a sanction more serious than the instructor may impose, or if there is a previous finding of departure from academic integrity on your record, the instructor must refer the case to the Smith Academic Integrity Panel for sanctioning. The Panel may consider a range of sanctions including, but not limited to, the following:

• An oral or written warning
• A requirement for the submission of a revised or new piece of work
• Partial or total loss of marks for the assignment/examination
• Partial or total loss of marks for the course in which the departure from academic integrity took place
• An official written warning that the penalty for a subsequent offence could be a recommendation to the Senate Committee on Academic Procedures (SCAP) that the student be required to withdraw from the University for a specified minimum period of time
• A recommendation to SCAP that the student be required to withdraw from the University for a specified minimum period of time
• A recommendation to SCAP that a degree be rescinded

Any sanction should reflect the extent and severity of the departure from academic integrity and precedents in the School of Business, taking into account any mitigating circumstances. Factors which should be considered in assigning a remedy or sanction include the following:

• Evidence of a deliberate attempt to gain advantage
• Seriousness of the departure having regard to its actual or potential consequences
• The extent to which the work or conduct in question forms a significant portion of the final grade and whether the extent of the departure is substantial as demonstrated by the work or conduct in question
• Injury to another student or to the institution
• Multiple departures within a single incident or multiple departures discovered at one time, rather than an isolated aberration
• The departure has been committed by an upper-year student who ought to be familiar with the expectations for academic integrity in the School of Business
• Conduct that intimidated others or provoked the misconduct by others

In addition, there may be occasions where there may be mitigating circumstances, that is, circumstances beyond your control. Although mitigating circumstances do not exonerate or excuse you from the finding of a departure from academic integrity, these factors should be taken into account to ensure that the penalty imposed is fair, reasonable and proportionate to the gravity of the departure found. The decision must outline the evidence supporting reliance on the mitigating circumstances. The onus is on the student to offer evidence of mitigating circumstances. The sorts of mitigating circumstances that may be relevant include:

• Documented evidence from an appropriate health professional of factors directly compromising the student's capacity to adhere to the standards of academic integrity at the relevant time
• Prompt admission to the alleged departure from academic integrity by the student and expression of contrition and willingness to undertake educative remedies
• Evidence that reasonable steps were not taken in the circumstances to bring the standards and expectations regarding academic integrity to the attention of the student at the relevant time

After considering the available evidence and your explanation, the instructor will make a decision within 14 days of meeting with you (or receiving your written submission), depending on the complexity of the case. If the instructor makes a finding of departure of academic integrity, this will be sent to you with a copy to the Smith Dean's Office. The finding will include the following:

• The decision or finding of departure from academic integrity
• The remedy or sanctions
• The opportunity to appeal the finding and/or the sanction to the Smith Academic Integrity Panel
• The deadline for appealing to the Panel
• The resources available for consultation (the Office of the University Ombudsman is available to advise you on matters of process and on obtaining an advisor)
• That a copy of the finding will be filed in the Smith Dean's Office and in the student's file

If you do not agree with the instructor’s decision, you may appeal the finding of departure from academic integrity and/or the sanction imposed as a result of an instructor's finding to the Smith Academic Integrity Panel. You have 7 calendar days from the date that the instructor's decision was received to notify the Panel, in writing, of your intention to appeal.

You then have an additional 14 calendar days to submit your written appeal, including any relevant supporting documentation. Normally, the Panel will meet with the student (and his or her representative), the instructor (and his or her representative), and witnesses where appropriate to conduct a thorough investigation of the evidence. 

A copy of the finding will be kept in the Smith Dean's Office and in your student file.