Cheating and Plagiarism Policy
August 2010
1. DEFINITIONS
1.1 Cheating is an act of deceit, fraud, distortion of the truth, or improper use of another person's effort to obtain an academic advantage.
1.2 Plagiarism is the presentation of another person's or source's words and/or ideas as if they were one's own. It ranges from an entire assignment which is not the student's own work to specific passages within an assignment taken from a source without appropriate acknowledgement.
2. RESPONSIBILITY FOR KNOWLEDGE OF PROPER ACADEMIC PRACTICE
Students are responsible for ensuring that they understand and follow the principles of proper documentation and scholarship. If in doubt about these matters, students should consult their instructor, the Writing Centre or the Library. Students are responsible for ensuring that they understand what constitutes cheating and plagiarism and that these violations of proper academic practice have serious consequences.
3. RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF POLICY
3.1 Departments or divisions may develop their own sanction for first cases of cheating and plagiarism or may refer students to University policy (See this Policy 5.1, 5.2). Departments or divisions must inform students of the applicable sanctions.
3.1.1 Departmental or division policies on cheating and plagiarism will be reviewed by Senate.
3.2 Second incidents of cheating or plagiarism, or first incidents deemed by a department/instructor to be particularly serious, will be dealt with according to the University policy.
4. INFORMING STUDENTS
4.1 Copies of this policy are published each term as part of the Registration Guide, and it is always available on the University website.
4.2 All Course Outlines must provide students with a clear definition of cheating and plagiarism and a statement of the sanctions for cheating and plagiarism which the department/instructor may apply.
5. PROCEDURE
5.1 Before assigning a grade to an assignment which is suspected of resulting from cheating or plagiarism, an instructor may require a student to take an oral examination on the content of the assignment.
5.2 If an instructor or department determines that a student has cheated or plagiarized, the instructor may impose a sanction ranging from a failing grade for the assignment to a failing grade for the course.
5.3 If it is determined that cheating or plagiarism has taken place, the instructor will inform the student in writing of the reasons for applying sanctions and will indicate that the Administrator responsible for Student Services is being informed of the instructor's decision.
5.3.1 If an instructor has determined that a student will receive a final grade of "Failure" or "No Credit" as a result of cheating or plagiarizing, the instructor will notify the student in writing via the student's Capilano University e-mail address followed by a letter to the student's address as it appears on the student record. A copy of the email must be sent to the Registrar's Office (registration@capilanou.ca), the Registrar, and the Administrator responsible for Student Services. A copy of the letter sent to the student must also be sent to the Registrar's Office and the Administrator responsible for Student Services. Both the email and the letter must include a notice that this is a final grade and must refer the student to the Final Grade Appeal policy and procedures.
5.3.2 The instructor will submit a Change of Grade Notification form showing the date when the grade is to be entered in the student record system. The Registrar's Office will enter the final grade in the student record system.
5.3.3 If the student has been notified of the cheating or plagiarizing incident prior to the last day to drop or withdraw from a course, the student may not drop or withdraw from the course. If the student drops or withdraws after notification has been given, and prior to the final grade being entered into the record system, the drop or withdrawal will be considered invalid and will be changed to "F" or "NC."
5.3.4 A request for an extenuating withdrawal (WE) will not be considered if a grade of "F" or "NC" has been entered as a result of cheating or plagiarizing.
5.3.5 The final grade will not be changed except through the Final Grade Appeal process.
5.4 A record of all cheating and plagiarism cases, with appropriate documentation, will be kept in the office of the Administrator responsible for Student Services for five years.
5.5 The Administrator responsible for Student Services will review the case of all students who are reported to have cheated or plagiarized on a second or subsequent occasion or in first incidents deemed by a department/instructor to be particularly serious.
5.6 The Administrator responsible for Student Services may impose or recommend imposition of the following sanctions, singly or in combination, for a first incident deemed to be particularly serious or for a second or subsequent incident:
5.6.1 Notice of the incident(s) placed in the student's file. The length of time such a record is to be maintained in the file will be specified
5.6.2 Probation - Conditional permission for a student to enrol or re-enrol in a course or courses. The terms of this measure will be provided to the student in a written communication
5.6.3 Expulsion - Immediate exclusion of a student from one or more courses. The terms of this measure will be provided to the student in a written communication.
5.6.4 Refusal to enrol or re-enrol - Refusal of the University to enrol or re-enrol a student in a course, courses or a program. The terms of this measure will be provided to the student in a written communication.
5.6.5 Suspension from the University - Immediate exclusion of a student from all classes and University services. In future, the student will not be permitted to re-enrol in any course or program or take advantage of any University-sponsored activity or service. The terms of this measure will be provided to the student in a written communication.
5.7 When the Administrator responsible for Student Services proposes to invoke a sanction for a first incident deemed to be particularly serious or for a second or subsequent incident, the student involved will be interviewed by the Administrator responsible for Student Services before a decision is made.
5.8 For a first incident deemed to be particularly serious or for a second or subsequent incident, the Administrator responsible for Student Services may invoke sanctions 5.6.1 through 5.6.4 or may recommend that the President invoke sanction 5.6.5.
5.9 Appeals of the Administrator responsible for Student Services' decision to impose sanctions 5.6.1 through 5.6.4 for cheating or plagiarism must be made in writing to the University Academic Vice-President within ten working days after the imposition of the sanction.
5.10 Appeals of the President's sanction 5.6.5 must be made by written appeal to the University's Board within ten working days after the imposition of the sanction.
5.11 Appeals made under 5.9 or 5.10 may address the imposition of a sanction and/or the degree of the sanction.
