Academic Integrity & Academic Misconduct

Academic misconduct is behaviour that erodes the basis of mutual trust on which scholarly exchanges occur, undermines the University’s exercise of its responsibility to evaluate students’ academic achievement or restricts the University’s ability to accomplish its learning objectives (University of Guelph Undergraduate Calendar, section 8;
http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/calendars/undergraduate/2009-2010/c08/c08-amisconduct.shtml). The University of Guelph is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and requires all members of the University community to be aware of what constitutes academic misconduct and to do as much as possible to prevent academic offences from occurring. Policies, procedures and penalties regarding academic misconduct apply to all participants in Office of Open Learning-sponsored courses (referred to hereafter as “Open Learners”), as they do to all University students.

As an Open Learner, it is your responsibility to understand what constitutes Academic Misconduct and to abide by the University of Guelph policy on student academic misconduct, regardless of your location or program of study. 

Academic misconduct is broadly understood to mean offences against the academic integrity of the learning environment.  Offences include, but are not limited to:

1.  Misappropriation of others’ work

  1. Plagiarism (i.e. misrepresenting the work of other as one’s own, without appropriate use of referencing)
  2. Copying another person’s answers to an exam question or assignment
  3. Submitting the same assignment for credit on more than one occasion without prior written permission from the instructor
  4. Unauthorized cooperation or collaboration (i.e. working on individual assignments in a group and submitting collaborative work as one’s own)

2.  Misrepresentation and Fraud

  1. Impersonation of one’s self for the purposes of writing an exam or submitting an assignment
  2. Submitting false, fraudulent or purchased assignments or medical documentation     
  3. Use of unauthorized aids or assistance in the completion of exams or assignments

Specific requirements for course work and evaluation will be described in your course outline, distributed at the first class meeting.  It is your responsibility to understand and meet these requirements.  Discuss any questions you have with your instructor in advance of completing assignments or exams. 

Procedure for Suspected Academic Misconduct

Should an instructor in a continuing education course suspect an incident of academic misconduct, the course instructor will bring the suspected offence to the attention of the manager, program development responsible for the course.  The instructor and manager will investigate the offence and may interview the student, but there is no obligation to do so.  If an academic misconduct offence is suspected to have been committed, the manager, program development will bring the suspected offence, including all evidence and documentation to the attention of the Director, Office of Open Learning.  In the event that an offence of academic misconduct  is confirmed, the Director will assess an appropriate penalty, according to the University’s guidelines and will inform the student.  Should the student appeal the decision, appeals will be heard by the Senate Committee on Student Petitions.