Things to keep in mind when you suspect misconduct.

Source: https://academicintegrity.ubc.ca/regulation-process/faculty/important-considerations/ Parent: https://academicintegrity.ubc.ca/genai/

Important considerations for faculty

Things to keep in mind when you suspect misconduct.

Educative Approach

UBC takes a shared values and holistic approach to academic integrity and academic misconduct inspired by educative principles where possible.
An educative approach builds on proactive and explicit instruction on the expectations of academic integrity and how to meet them, and a consideration of an educative response to misconduct, where appropriate.

Reporting

Instructors should report cases of academic misconduct that occur in their courses.
Reporting is done in accordance with Faculty procedures.
When a report is made by an instructor, it does not automatically mean that a student’s case will escalate to the PACSD and that there will be disciplinary action.
Reporting by the instructor makes those who determine outcomes at the Dean’s Office level aware of a potential case and can prevent repeated infractions from going untracked.

Investigations

While instructors make the preliminary review, the Dean’s Office should have oversight of all cases of academic misconduct and may conduct a further investigation.

Communicating with students

If instructors suspect or have concerns that academic misconduct has occurred in work for their course, they should carefully document the issues and ask the student(s) to a meeting to discuss these issues. This communication should be approached in as neutral a way as possible.
The first contact with students around a misconduct allegation should not be accusatory in tone and should not threaten punishment.
Keeping students informed of the status of their case is good practice. If a student’s case is escalating to the Dean’s Office, instructors may wish to let them know.
Academic misconduct allegations may be distressing to students. Students should be made aware of resources that are available to support them.

Faculty Procedures

Each Faculty may have a slightly different procedure in accordance with the Calendar regulation.
If an instructor has questions around their Faculty procedure they should reach out to the Dean’s Office in their Faculty.
If an instructor has a question about whether something is academic misconduct they should reach out to their Department Head or their Designate who is responsible for the academic misconduct process the department. They should also refer to the Academic Misconduct Regulation in the Academic Calendar. Thresholds may vary according to departmental norms.

Academic Consequences and Discipline

There are limitations as to what can and cannot be done at different levels of the academic misconduct process. In accordance with the University Act, only the President can discipline a student.
Any outcome delivered prior to the PACSD and the President is not discipline. Within the new diversionary path, this may include reevaluation of the academic work, a warning letter or an integrity plan.
Integrity plans may include failure in a course grade, notation on a transcript, or other outcomes.

This is an educative website intended to support understanding of the topics and associated processes and does not constitute legal advice nor impose legal obligations on the University. The content of this site may be updated. The Academic Calendar is the official governing document, and where there is any inconsistency or contradiction between this educative website and the Academic Calendar provisions governing academic integrity and academic misconduct, the Academic Calendar governs.