It is the responsibility of all members of the Humber learning community (e.g. students, faculty, staff and administration) to uphold academic integrity in teaching, learning, evaluation, research, and creative activities across all learning settings regardless of format. Cultures of integrity are maintained and strengthened when all members of the learning community share the responsibility and commitment to refrain from engaging in acts of academic dishonesty.
Academic dishonesty/ misconduct is broadly defined as an offence against the academic integrity of the learning environment. Students are responsible for knowing what constitutes an academic offence and faculty members have a responsibility to provide students, early in their course or program, with information about academic integrity. An offence may be deemed to have been committed whether the student knew a particular action was an offence or ought reasonably to have known. Ignorance does not excuse students from the responsibility for verifying the academic integrity of their work before submitting it. Students who are in any doubt as to whether an action on their part could be construed as an academic offence should consult with a faculty member or program coordinator before submission of an assignment.
Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, the following examples:
Humber reserves the right to utilize authentication and/or plagiarism detection software as a means of determining academic dishonesty.
Knowingly assisting anyone in committing any form of academic misconduct is itself academic misconduct and subject to this policy. This may include, but is not limited to, offering for sale essays or other assignments with the intention that these works will be subsequently submitted for assessment.
If a student is found to be responsible for academic misconduct, an Academic Misconduct Letter will be issued to the student by the Associate Dean or designate. An Academic Misconduct Letter will clearly indicate the outcomes of the review which may include one or more of the following:
Sanctions for academic misconduct will consider the severity and frequency of the academic offence as determined by the Associate Dean.
Note: Sanctions may be applied retroactively if an offence is discovered subsequent to completion of a course or after graduation.
Invigilators will be present at all examinations to supervise the delivery of the examination and detect any signs of academic misconduct. Invigilators may use input from others to assist them in verifying detection of academic misconduct.
In cases of suspected academic misconduct the invigilator may allow the student to complete the examination and may take action by doing one of the following.
In cases where the faculty member responsible for the course is not invigilating the exam, the invigilator will complete an Academic Misconduct Form, append any confiscated material to the form, and provide the information to the appropriate faculty member. The Program Coordinator and / or Associate Dean, when preparing the response regarding the academic offence, will also use this documentation.
The responsibility for detecting academic misconduct on term assignments and other course requirements lies with the faculty member, who may make use of reports from others and/or originality/plagiarism detection software to assist in detection. Where academic misconduct is suspected, the faculty member:
In all cases, the faculty member shall submit the Academic Misconduct Form and suspect material to the Program Coordinator and Associate Dean for further action.
The responsibility for detecting academic misconduct in the context of an academic environment that is not part of the formal examination or assignment process must rest with the entire Humber community. Where academic misconduct is suspected, but where it is unclear whether it is directly related to a specific course, or where the specific course is unknown, those with knowledge of an offence should contact the Senior Dean of the appropriate Academic Faculty. If the suspected offence appears to be related to a specific course, then the faculty member of the course should be contacted. Instructors have access to and the right to use electronic and other means of detection.
Where there is evidence of suspected academic misconduct, the faculty member or person aware of the issue should consult with the Program Coordinator and the Associate Dean to determine whether the offence and the associated information/documentation merit a formal complaint. If it is deemed that a formal complaint is likely and that further investigation is required, the Associate Dean shall take any or all of the following actions:
consult with the Office of the Registrar to ascertain if any record of a previous academic offence exists; and
If the Associate Dean deems the student is not responsible at this stage, no sanctions will be assessed, no record of the suspected offence or complaint will be kept, and all parties involved will be informed by the Associate Dean.
If the Associate Dean determines that the student is responsible, the Associate Dean shall:
In cases where Expulsion or Rescinding of a credential is recommended, the Senior Dean shall consult with the Vice President, Academic and the President.
Note: A student accused of an offence of academic misconduct in a particular course or courses will not be allowed to drop the course(s) in question during the period of the investigation. If the student is found to be responsible for the academic misconduct and receives a sanction other than an official warning, the student will not be allowed to drop the course(s).
The record and notation of “Academic- Expulsion” is permanent, unless a petition to have the record expunged has been approved by the President. Students may submit a request to the Office of the Registrar to have a record of expulsion expunged from their academic record no sooner than five (5) years after the date of the expulsion.
Access to the record of academic misconduct will be limited to those involved in processing appeals and those involved in processing additional complaints against the student.