Academic misconduct

NorQuest College is committed to maintaining high standards of academic performance and integrity and all members of the NorQuest community must uphold these standards. This commitment is founded upon the fundamental values of academic integrity: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage (International Center for Academic Integrity, 2021).

Academic misconduct may be defined as:

  • the giving, taking, or presenting of information that unfairly aids an individual or group in the determination of academic merit or standing
  • Common examples include, but are not limited to, plagiarism and cheating.

Plagiarism is a form of academic integrity issue that occurs when someone presents work that has been created by another as one's own. Specific examples include:

  • presenting in any format the words, ideas, images, or data created by or belonging to someone else as if it were one’s own
  • manipulating source material to deceive or mislead
  • submitting work containing misleading references that do not reflect the sources actually used

Cheating is another form of academic integrity issue that occurs when someone uses unauthorized means to get credit for work submitted, to gain unfair advantage over others in the assessment of academic work, or to assist others in getting such advantages. Specific examples include:

  • accessing information from unauthorized sources such as other students or notes, while completing an assignment, test, or examination; this also includes using a generative artificial intelligence tool when its use is prohibited in the completion of coursework
  • possessing unauthorized evaluation materials in advance of their administration
  • collaborating on any project, assignment, or examination without prior permission
  • assisting others to cheat or plagiarize

Who submits an academic misconduct report?

When a possible incident of cheating and/or plagiarism arises in a course, the instructor reviews the concern and determines whether an Academic Misconduct report should be submitted to the SRIO to initiate the process.

If an individual other than the instructor (for example, a student or witness) has reason to believe a student has engaged in behavior that is inconsistent with academic integrity expectations, they should contact the student’s instructor and provide the relevant information.

The instructor will review the matter and determine whether to proceed with submitting a report.

What is the process when there is an allegation of academic misconduct? 

Academic Integrity Concern Identified An instructor is informed of or identifies a potential academic integrity issue in a student’s coursework
Chair Review (If warranted) If the alleged incident is the student’s subsequent incident or the student’s response warrants a Chair Review, SRIO will forward the case to the appropriate decision-maker.
Decision The student and reporting instructor are informed of the outcome. This includes whether academic misconduct occurred on a balance of probabilities and if so, any accountability outcomes.
Initial Review The instructor reviews the concern further and discusses it with the student. If the instructor is reasonably certain that academic misconduct likely occurred, the instructor will submit an academic misconduct report to SRIO for processing.
SRIO Assessment The next steps are determined based on the student’s response submission and any previous findings of academic misconduct.
Student Response Requested Upon receipt of the Academic Misconduct report, SRIO reviews if the student has any prior records of academic misconduct and requests the student to respond and provide their perspective.

What is the role of SRIO in this process?

The Academic Misconduct Procedure is one of the procedures that the SRIO oversees.

What the SRIO does:

  • manage and process academic misconduct reports through the centralized reporting system.
  • maintain records of academic misconduct reports and findings.
  • review and process submissions from faculty and students. SRIO may request additional information if needed.
  • provide neutral, objective, and unbiased procedural guidance to all parties involved.
  • help ensure that responding students’ procedural rights are upheld throughout the process.
  • monitor completion of some accountability outcomes, such as remediation and the mandatory academic integrity workshop.

The SRIO does not:

  • investigate allegations of academic misconduct
  • determine whether academic misconduct has occurred
  • assess what accountability outcomes should be implemented

The SRIO is available to support faculty, students, and academic programs with questions about the procedure. This may include general inquiries about the process or discussions related to a specific academic integrity concern, allegation, or report. The SRIO can be contacted by emailing at SRIO@norquest.ca or booking a confidential appointment.

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