Academic Integrity Breaches

Instructors may suspect academic misconduct when reviewing the work that a student submitted. If an instructor suspects that a student has plagiarized or cheated, they will contact the student informing them of their concerns and ask the student to provide a response. This response may take place during a meeting that the instructor organizes, or the instructor may request a response over email.

Students are advised to respond to their instructor when these concerns are raised. If you have evidence showing that you have not acted inappropriately, you should share these materials with your instructor. For example, if an instructor contacts you saying that they believe that plagiarism has occurred, you can provide earlier drafts of your work to show your thought process, research work, and work progression.

If your instructor still suspects academic misconduct after meeting with you, they will report it to the Office of Student Conduct, and Academic Integriy.

You may have an emotional response such as anger, anxiety, or fear when you are informed of your instructor’s suspicion. It is recommended that you show restraint in your feelings when responding to your instructor and respond professionally. On campus resources are available if you would like to discuss your case and receive information or advice on College policy and procedures.

When responding to your instructor, keep the following in mind:

• Consider the evidence against you. Note that the burden of proof to be found responsible for academic misconduct is known as the ‘balance of probabilities’. This means that if the evidence against you is strong, you will likely be found in violation of the Academic Integrity Policy.
• Be honest. Denial in the face of evidence will not resolve the situation. Lying or fabricating evidence may lead to more severe disciplinary sanctions.
• Remember that there is an appeal process available. If you believe that you are not being fully heard or procedure is not being followed, you have the opportunity to raise these concerns through the appeal process.

It’s important to note that even if a you didn’t intend to violate the academic integrity policy, you will still be found responsible for the violation and face sanctions.

You are expected to review the academic integrity policy, avoid academic integrity violations, and reach out to your instructor or campus services to ask for advice if you are unsure about your work.

When a report is submitted to the Office of Student Conduct, Accountability and Support, they will process the report and inform the student about next steps.

For a first violation, the student will receive a Decision Letter, which will note the details of the student’s case and what sanctions the instructor has placed on the student.

If the student has previous academic integrity violations, then they will receive a letter notifying them that their report has been forwarded to the Division Chair overseeing the department for review. The Division Chair may reach out to the student requesting the student to respond to the allegations before sending the student a decision letter. In this decision letter, the Division Chair will note if the student is responsible.

For a first incident, the student may face one or more of the following sanctions:

• Formal warning
• Remedial sanctions (for example, the resubmission of work)
• Educational sanctions (for example, a reflection paper)
• Reduced mark the student’s assignment or exam
• A zero on the student’s assignment or exam
• A requirement to complete an Academic Integrity Tutorial

If the student has previous incidents of academic misconduct, they may face the previous sanctions in addition to the following possible sanctions (Note: the severity of sanctions will increase with every additional incident):

• Reduced grade in the course
• A grade of “F” in a course
• A recommendation to the President for suspension from the College
• A recommendation to the President for rescinding or denying a College credential

There are a variety of factors that are considered when sanctions are being determined for a student found responsible for academic misconduct. Some of these factors may include:

• Was the academic misconduct planned or a result of stress or impulse?
• Has the student been honest and cooperative during the academic integrity process?
• Is this the student’s first offense?
• Does the student seem genuinely sorry and apologetic for the offense?
• Were other students affected by the actions of the student?
• Was the student aware that the offense was a case of academic misconduct?
• How much of the student’s work has been affected by the academic misconduct?

Reported incidents of academic misconduct are kept on file in the Office of Student Conduct, Accountability and Support. A record of the academic misconduct does not appear on the student’s official student record unless specified (such as transcripts). A student who is suspended from the College for an academic integrity violation(s) will receive a notation of Disciplinary Suspension on their transcript.

Students reported for their first academic integrity incident may be required to complete the Student Conduct and Academic Integrity Tutorial on Brightspace.

The Student Conduct and Academic Integrity Tutorial is for students who have shown a lack of understanding of their responsbilities under the Langara Academic Integrity Policy. We recognize that some students may be unfamiliar with the principles of academic integrity or the importance of academic integrity in an academic setting. This tutorial allows students to gain a greater understanding of academic integrity and the college policies, rules, and regulations related to academic responsibility and integrity.