An infraction may be deemed to be minor or major.  The instructor makes the determination based on the evidence and meeting with the student/s. 

From the S2017-05 Academic Integrity Procedure:

Minor infraction

In the infraction is deemed to be minor, the instructor has three remedy options per Section 2.4.1 of the S2017-05 Academic Integrity Procedure.  It may be worth discussing these options (see below) with the student/s involved to make a collaborative decision on the option that is fair and achievable for the student/s.  While this is a remedy, it may also be a learning opportunity.

Major infraction

If the instructor determines that the infraction is major, the instructor must inform their dean and the Office of Student Affairs within five (5) business days of the student meeting. The dean will determine if an investigation is required based upon confirmation of a previous offense by the Office of Student Affairs or the seriousness of the alleged infraction.   For more information about the investigation procedure, see S2017-05 Academic Integrity Procedure.

Based on the results of the investigation, the dean may:

• Dismiss the alleged infraction if the alleged infraction is deemed to be without merit or is frivolous, trivial, or vexatious. If the dean deems the alleged infraction as vexatious, they will forward this information to the appropriate administrator responsible for either the B.701 Student Code of Conduct Policy or B.506 Standards of Conduct Policy (HR).
• Enter a collaborative sanctioning process with the student to work together to develop a mutual agreement that effectively and appropriately responds to the impact of the student’s actions (as per Section 6.1 of S2017-05 Academic Integrity Procedure).
• Determine the specific sanction or range of sanctions to be applied (as per Section 6.1 of S2017-05 Academic Integrity Procedure):
  1. Letter of Reprimand – A formal letter indicating the student’s breach of Policy S2017-05 and expected conduct moving forward. Normally, this is used only in the case of first-time or in addition to other sanctions.
  2. Educational Activity – An engagement in reflection and growth through participation in tasks such as assignments, projects, and/or workshops.
  3. Involuntary Withdrawal from a Course or Program – An involuntary withdrawal from a course or program at the University.
  4. Other Sanctions as required – The University reserves the right to impose sanctions other than those listed in this document if they are commensurate with the infraction.
• Forward the investigation report and all other relevant information to the President and recommend suspension or expulsion.

The student (via the student’s CapU email), the dean and the Office of Student Affairs need to be informed of the infraction and the remedy imposed within five (5) business days after meeting with the student (as per the S2017-05 Academic Integrity Procedure).  A written report is required:

• To provide an official record of the infraction and the remedy
• To identify repeat offenders (by the Office of Student Affairs)
• As the basis for taking more significant action in the case of repeat offenders
• To collect data regarding academic integrity infractions at the University that can be used to identify trends and inform decision making.

Example template for reporting a cheating infraction is available here.

Example template for reporting a plagiarism infraction is available here.

The instructor may receive one of two responses after the report has been submitted (as per the S2017-05 Academic Integrity Procedure):

• From the Office of Student Affairs: If the student chooses to dispute the infraction or the proposed remedy, this can be done through the Office of Student Affairs who then communicates same to the instructor and the dean and within five (5) business days. The dean may meet with the student. The dean, Office of Student Affairs and the instructor will work together to formulate a response to the student. The dean will provide a response in writing to the student within five (5) business days. This determination will be considered final, and a copy provided to the Office of Student Affairs.
• From the dean: The dean may determine a different remedy if the student has a previous record(s) of violating academic integrity including remedies in 2.4.1 or in Section 6.1. This will be communicated in writing to the student within ten (10) business days of receiving information from the Office of Student Affairs. The determination will also be shared with the instructor and a copy will be kept in the student’s file with the Office of Student Affairs.

The information provided in the instructor’s report is added to a database (only accessible by the Office of Student Affairs) and used to determine whether the student is a repeat offender.  The information does not get added to the student’s record.

An instance of cheating or plagiarism in a course may offer the opportunity for reflection and remediation.

Reflection – it may be worthwhile to reflect on the infraction, the evidence and the student meeting and consider whether the infraction could have been avoided or whether anything could be done to avoid this infraction from occurring in the future, e.g., educating students about academic integrity, the design of the assignment, the format of the exam.

Remediation – taking the relevant steps to prevent an infraction from occurring again may include adding preventative steps to the course, redesigning or adding assignments, reaching out to CTE for assistance or working with your Department.