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:

Academic Dishonesty

1. Plagiarism, in the broadest sense, is misrepresenting the work of others as one’s own. Plagiarism can be understood as the act of copying, reproducing or paraphrasing significant portions of someone else’s published or unpublished material, and representing these as one’s own thinking by not acknowledging the appropriate source or by the failure to use appropriate quotation marks. This includes, but is not limited to, print material, photos, drawings, computer code, and designs. Students have the responsibility to learn and to use the conventions of documentation, and, if in any doubt, are encouraged to consult with the faculty member of the course, or the Program Coordinator.
2. Copying another person's answers to an examination question.
3. Using another’s data or research findings.
4. Buying or selling essays, papers, or assignments.
5. Copying from or using prohibited material in an assignment or examination including, but not limited to, textbooks or other documentary or electronic equipment, personal notes, or other aids not approved by the faculty member, for example, accessing unauthorized test questions from an electronic database.
6. Improper academic practices including the falsification, fabrication, or misrepresentation of material that is part of academic evaluation, the learning process, or scholarly exchange. This offence would include reference to resources that are known not to exist or the listing of others who have not contributed to the work.
7. Co-operating or collaborating in the completion of an academic assignment, in whole or in part, when the instructor has indicated that the assignment is to be completed on an individual basis.

Humber reserves the right to utilize authentication and/or plagiarism detection software as a means of determining academic dishonesty.

Misrepresentation of Personal Performance

1. Submitting false, fraudulent or purchased assignments, research or credentials, or the falsifying or withholding of records, transcripts, letters of reference, letters of support, or other academic documents.
2. Impersonation by having someone impersonate oneself, either in person or electronically, in class, in an examination, or in connection with any type of course assignment or material or availing oneself of the results of such impersonation. Both the impersonator and individual impersonated (if aware of the impersonation) are subject to the academic dishonesty process.
3. Submitting a false medical or compassionate certificate, or presenting other such documentation under false pretenses.
4. Improperly obtaining, through theft, bribery, collusion or otherwise, access to privileged information, or examination paper or set of questions.
5. Submitting the same course work, research, or assignment for credit on more than one occasion in two or more courses without the prior written permission of the faculty members in all of the courses involved; misrepresenting the amount of work an individual has contributed to a group assignment or activity.
6. Possession or use of an unauthorized aid, to use or obtain unauthorized assistance in any academic examination, term test, assignment, or in connection with any other form of academic work. Such aids or material may include, but are not limited to, specific documents, electronic equipment or devices, and commercial services (such as writing, editorial, software, or research survey services).

Damage to the Integrity of Scholarly Exchanges

1. Altering, destroying, hiding, or generally restricting the access to academic materials intended for general use.
2. The unauthorized removal, destruction, or theft of library or other Humber resources.
3. Inappropriate distribution of restricted material.
4. Obstructing the academic activities of others. This may involve interfering with the scholarly activities of another or altering or falsifying the work of others, in order to harass or gain unfair academic advantage. This includes, but is not limited to, interfering or tampering with experimental data, with a written or other creation, with a chemical used for research, or with any other object of study.

Facilitating Academic Misconduct

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.

Examinations

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.

1. In the case of suspected impersonation, the invigilator will require the student concerned to remain after the examination until the student is satisfactorily identified.
2. In the case of suspected copying another person's answer(s) to the examination question, the invigilator may request that the student complete the exam in another location or setting if it is deemed that such action will cause the least disruption to those taking the examination.
3. In the case of suspected copying from or using prohibited material in an examination, the invigilator may confiscate the suspect material (including electronic devices) and request that the student make contact with the faculty member responsible for the course once the examination period is over.

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.

Student Work

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:

1. shall retain possession of suspect material;

2. may seek to interview the student to allay suspicion or to confirm it; and
3. shall initiate the Academic Misconduct Form.

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.

Cases outside the Domain of Examinations or Assignments

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 Dean of the appropriate Academic School. 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.