Academic Integrity

1. Plagiarism - claiming the words, ideas, artistry, drawings, images or data of another person as if they were your own. This includes:
   • copying another person’s work (including information found on the Internet and unpublished
     materials) without appropriate referencing;
   • presenting someone else’s work, opinions or theories as if they are your own;
   • presenting another’s substantial compositional changes to an assignment as your own;
   • working collaboratively without permission of the instructor on an assignment, and then submitting it
     as if it were created solely by you; or
   • submitting the same work, in whole or in part, for credit in two or more courses, or in the same course more than once, without the prior written permission of the instructor(s).
2. Cheating
   • using materials or aids not expressly allowed by the instructor in an examination or test;
   • copying another person’s answer(s) to an examination or test question; copying another person’s answers to individually assigned projects;
   • consulting with another person or unauthorized materials outside of an examination room during the examination period (e.g. discussing an exam or consulting materials during an emergency evacuation or when permitted to use a washroom);
   • improperlysubmitting an answer to a test or examination question completed, in whole or part, outside the examination room unless specifically permitted by the examination format;
   • resubmitting altered test or examination work after it has already been evaluated;
   • presenting falsified or fabricated material, including research results;
   • improperly obtaining, through theft, bribery, collusion or otherwise, access to examination paper(s) or set of questions, or other privileged information.
3. Misrepresentation of personal identity or performance
   • submitting stolen or purchased assignments or research;
   • impersonating someone or having someone impersonate you in person, in writing  or electronically.
     Both the impersonator and the individual impersonated (if aware of the impersonation) are subject to a
     penalty;
   • Falsely identifying oneself or misrepresenting one’s personal performance outside  of a particular
     course, in a course in which one is not officially enrolled, or in the admissions process (e.g. submission of portfolios, essays); or
   • withholding or altering academic information, transcripts or documents
4. Submission of false information
   • submitting altered, forged or falsified medical or other certificate or document for academic
     consideration, or making false claims for such consideration;
   • submitting false statements, documents or claims in the request for academic consideration, academic
     appeals or the academic misconduct process;
   • submitting false academic credentials to the University; or
   • altering, in any way, documents issued by the University 

1. offering, giving or selling essays or other assignments with the knowledge that these works will likely be subsequently submitted for assessment;
2. allowing work to be copied during an examination, test or for other assignments;
3. offering, giving or selling answers to tests or exams; or
4. unauthorized sharing of examination questions and/or answers.

1. tampering with experiments or laboratory assignments;
2. altering or destroying artistic or creative works such as drawings or films;
3. removing, altering, misusing or destroying University property to obstruct the work of others;
4. stealing or tampering with any course-related material; or
5. tampering with library materials

1. Disciplinary Notice (DN) - Students who have been found to have committed academic misconduct will automatically have a Disciplinary Notice (DN) placed on their academic record. A DN is not a penalty that is decided upon, it is a consequence of any finding of misconduct. The assignment of a DN may not be appealed.
2. Disciplinary Suspension (DS)² - Undergraduate or Continuing Education students who receive a second DN will normally be placed on Disciplinary Suspension (DS) for a period of from one term to two years. (See Procedures for exceptions.) This penalty may also be recommended by an instructor or Chair/Director. The designation DS shall be placed on the academic record and official transcript
   • No courses may be taken at Ryerson, including at The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, during the period of Disciplinary Suspension
   • For Continuing Education students, suspension will result in the student being prohibited from enrolling in any courses at Ryerson during the period specified by the Academic Integrity Council or Senate Appeals Committee
3. Disciplinary Withdrawal (DW) - An instructor or Chair/Director may recommend that a student be assigned a Disciplinary Withdrawal (DW). Students who are assigned a DW for academic misconduct shall be withdrawn from the University for a period of at least two years. No courses may be taken at Ryerson, including at The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education. A student who is assigned a DW may not apply to the same program/certificate but may apply to any other program/certificate after serving the specified period of withdrawal and after meeting specific conditions established by the Senate Appeals Committee
4. Expulsion - Students who are expelled from the University shall not be allowed to register or enrol in any course or program of the University. Expulsion shall be permanently noted on a student’s academic record and official transcript. All decisions to expel a student are ultimately made by the Senate Appeals Committee

1. Within a course:
   • The minimum penalty for academic misconduct on any assignment or other form of evaluation is a mark of zero for the work. As a consequence of any determination of misconduct, a DN will be placed on the student’s academic record
   • A grade of “F” in a course may be assigned by the instructor
   • Disciplinary Suspension (DS)
     • may only be recommended by the instructor or Chair/Director; and
     • may only be assigned by the Academic Integrity Council or Senate Appeals Committee; and
     • cannot be assigned to graduate student
   • Disciplinary Withdrawn (DW)
     • may only be recommended by the instructor, Chair/Director, or Academic Integrity Council; and
     • may only be assigned by Senate Appeals Committee
   • Expulsion
     • may only be recommended by the instructor, Chair/Director, or Academic Integrity Council; and
     • may only be assigned by Senate Appeals Committee.
   • Rescinding of a degree, diploma or certificat
     • may only be recommended by the instructor, Chair/Director, or Academic Integrity Council; and
     • may only be assigned by Senate Appeals Committe
   • Requirement to replace damaged or destroyed material
     • may be recommended by the instructor or Chair/Director: and
     • may be assigned by Academic Integrity Council;
   • Removal from a co-op program option, placement, internship or practicum, either permanently or temporarily may be assigned
   • A requirement to participate in the mandatory component of the Academic Integrity Tutorial in conjunction with another penalty³ may be assigned
2. Outside of a course: All of the above penalties except a “0” on a piece of work and an “F” in a course may be assigned. The minimum penalty is the assignment of the mandatory component of the Academic Integrity Tutorial, and the DN will be placed on the student’s academic record and official transcript

1. Academic Record
   • Disciplinary Notice (DN)
     • The DN notation shall remain until a student graduates, or for eight (8) years for full-time undergraduate students, for four (4) years for graduate students, and for fourteen (14) years for part-time undergraduate program students, whichever comes first. Students who subsequently graduate from another post-secondary institution may petition the Registrar’s Office to have the notation removed.
     • Students who receive a DN in the first half of their program or certificate, and who have no subsequent misconducts, may petition the Chair/Director in the last year of their program to have the DN removed from their record. Part-time undergraduate program students may petition for the removal of the DN one calendar year after completing the first half of their program. The removal of the DN is at the discretion of the Chair/Director and this decision may not be appealed. If the student commits subsequent academic misconduct, the DN will be reinstated.
     • Students not enrolled in degrees or certificates who are taking courses, or a series of courses, for professional or personal purposes, may request, in writing to the Chair/Director or Chang School Program Director (as appropriate), that a DN be removed from their record after one calendar year from the end of the semester in which it was asssigned. The DN will not be removed if a student applies to a Ryerson program within that year.
   • Disciplinary Suspension (DS)
     • There shall be an automatic hearing of the Academic Integrity Council, if there is a recommendation of a DS by an instructor or Chair/Director, or if there is an assignment of a DS based upon a second charge of misconduct.
     • The length of the suspension is determined by the Academic Integrity Council or the Senate Appeals Committee and may be recommended by the instructor or Chair/Director.
     • The notation shall remain until students graduate, or for eight (8) years for full-time undergraduate students and fourteen (14) years for part-time undergraduate students, whichever comes first. Students who subsequently graduate from another post-secondary institution may petition the Registrar’s Office to have the notation removed. Continuing Education students and part-time degree students may petition the Registrar to remove the DS two years after the period of suspension has been served.
     • Course work taken elsewhere during the period of Disciplinary Suspension will not be credited towards GPA calculations, Academic Standing or graduation requirements within the student’s program.
     • If the DS is assigned during the semester, students will be permitted to complete the courses in which they are enrolled, and the suspension will become effective at the end of the semester
     • A student who is assigned a DS is automatically reinstated into his or her program or may apply to any other program or certificate after serving the specified period of suspension and after meeting any specified conditions established by the Academic Integrity Council or Senate Appeals Committee.
   • Disciplinary Withdrawal (DW)
     • There shall be an automatic hearing of the Academic Integrity Council if there is a recommendation of DW by an Instructor or Chair/Director, an assignment of DW for a graduate student for a second DN, or if there is an assignment of a DW based on a third misconduct.
     • The length of the Disciplinary Withdrawal may be recommended by the Chair/Director or by the Academic Integrity Council and it is ultimately determined by the Senate Appeals Committee.
     • No courses may be taken at Ryerson, including at The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, during the period of Disciplinary Withdrawal. Course work taken elsewhere during this period will not be credited towards GPA calculations, Academic Standing or graduation requirements within any Ryerson program.
     • For Continuing Education students, Disciplinary Withdrawal will result in the student being prohibited from enrolling in any courses at Ryerson during the specified period, and from enrolling in certificate programs or courses as recommended by the Academic Integrity Council.
     • DW is permanently noted on a student’s record
   • Expulsion
   • There will be an automatic hearing of the Senate Appeals Committee when an undergraduate or Continuing Education student has had a third academic misconduct or a previous DS or DW and/or Expulsion has been recommended by Academic Integrity Council.
   • Expulsions are effective immediately upon the Senate Appeals Committee decision.
   • Expulsions are permanently noted on a student’s record
2. Other Consequences
   • If students receive funding such as, but not limited to, stipends, scholarships, bursaries or OSAP managed by Ryerson, the Ryerson Student Financial Assistance office, the Associate Registrar, and the Assistant Registrar for Graduate Studies where appropriate, will be notified when academic misconduct has been determined.
   • Previously assigned grades for the course in question may be amended.
   • Students’ graduation may be delayed.
   • Previously awarded certificates, diplomas or degrees may be revoked by the Senate Appeals Committee.
   • The University may be required to inform outside parties whose interests may have been adversely affected by the academic misconduct.
   • In the case of forged official documents, the Association of Registrars of Universities and Colleges of Canada (ARUCC) will be notified by the Registrar’s Office.
   • In some instances, criminal charges may be sought.
   • Where warranted, students may also be charged with Non-Academic Misconduct

1. Students may appeal charges of Academic Misconduct or the penalties to the Academic Integrity Council.
2. Appeals must be filed in writing and must normally be submitted in person as outlined in the procedures associated with this policy. Only complete appeals will be accepted.
3. Students must receive advance notice of the scheduling of the hearing and all documentation that will be considered at the hearing from the Academic Integrity Office or the Secretary of Senate. Documentation is normally received within five (5) working days of the hearing. It will be assumed that the information has been received on the date it was picked up or couriered.
4. When there is an automatic hearing at the Academic Integrity Council or Senate level, students are required to provide a written response to the Notice of Hearing using the appropriate form found on the Senate website. If the student does not submit the form, the hearing will proceed based on the available information.

Students may remain in class and may enrol for courses while their case is under appeal. If students are charged at the end of a semester and, due to the timing of the charge, a hearing cannot be scheduled until the next semester, students may enrol for courses and continue in their program until a final decision is rendered. If the decision results in a DS, a DW or Expulsion being imposed, the student will normally be dropped from all courses and the fees refunded. However, the Panel will have the discretion to determine whether the penalty will come into effect at the end of the previous term or at the end of the term in which the student is currently enrolled

Every effort will be made to ensure these proceedings are handled in an expeditious manner. Students may contact the Academic Integrity Officer when they are concerned about delays in the process. The AIO may dismiss charges when the University unduly delays the process

1. No member of a Hearing Panel should have had any prior involvement with the case.
2. A member of a Hearing Panel, the student or instructor must disclose any conflict of interest, if known, no less than five (5) days before the hearing. Unless the conflict of interest is resolved, the Panel member shall be replaced.
3. If either party raises a conflict of interest regarding any Panel member(s) once the Hearing has begun, the Hearing Panel will judge the extent and validity of the conflict and will decide whether the Panel member may sit on the appeal. The Panel member(s) that is challenged may offer a statement but may not take part in the Panel’s decision on the conflict. If the Panel member is excused and there is no quorum, the Hearing may be adjourned and a new hearing scheduled, or may be held without that Panel member if both parties agree.
4. No member of the panel which heard a charge of academic misconduct against a student may serve on a panel hearing a subsequent charge against that student. Normally, members of a hearing panel may not serve on a subsequent panel which is deciding upon a penalty only

1. Academic Integrity Council: The Academic Integrity Officer shall establish an Academic Integrity Council, comprised of faculty and student representatives from each of the Faculties,
2. Registrar’s Appeals Committee: The Registrar shall establish an Appeals Committee comprised of three (3) members of the Registrariat for appeals outside of a course that are deemed to be the responsibility of the Registrar’s Office.
3. Senate Appeals Committee: The Senate Appeals Committee, as established by the Senate By-Laws, shall hear appeals of the decisions of the Academic Integrity Council.
4. Hearing Panels:
   • Academic Integrity Council Hearing Panels shall consist of at least two (2) faculty members and one (1) student. One faculty member should, where possible, be from the Faculty in which the charge has been made. For graduate student hearings the student panel member must be a graduate student. It shall be decided in advance which faculty member will chair the hearing and write the decision.
   • Senate Appeals Committee Panels shall consist of at least two (2) faculty members and one student. For graduate student hearings, the student panel member must be a graduate student. It shall be decided in advance which faculty member will chair the hearing and write the decision.
5. Training: All members of the above Committees/Council shall be required to attend annual training session(s) conducted by the office of the Secretary of Senate.
6. No member may serve concurrently on the Academic Integrity Council and the Senate Appeals Committee

1. If there is both an appeal of a charge or penalty and an automatic hearing, a panel must be convened to hear the appeal before a second panel can be convened, if necessary, for the automatic hearing.
2. If there is an appeal of a charge of academic misconduct which affects a grade or academic standing appeal, the misconduct appeal will be heard before the academic appeal. Once a decision has been reached on the misconduct, the appropriate School/Department/program should be notified so that the academic appeal can proceed. (Note: The academic appeal should not proceed until changes to the academic record resulting from the misconduct hearing, if any, are made.)
3. If there is group misconduct, appeals shall normally be heard by the same panel, either individually or in a group. Students may request an opportunity to be heard separately.
4. Hearing Regulations
   • All Senate hearings will be conducted in a manner consistent with the Statutory Powers Procedure Act (SPPA). A copy of the SPPA is available for review in the Senate Office.
   • Representation/Support
     • Students may be represented by an advocate at an Academic Integrity Council Hearing who may speak for the student and confer with the student as necessary.
     • Students may be represented by an advocate or legal counsel at a Senate Appeals Committee Hearing, who may speak for the student and confer with the student as necessary.
     • Students may have a support person in the hearing, but this person may not participate in any way. Students may also bring witnesses, but these must be declared in advance on the appeal form.
     • The University may retain legal counsel at the Senate level who may speak for the respondent and confer with the respondent as necessary.
   • Procedural Decisions by the Panel
     • The Panel Chair may adjourn the Hearing when it is required for a fair process.
     • If either the appellant or the respondent fails to attend the Hearing, and there are no extenuating circumstances, the Hearing may proceed in his or her absence. Hearings will not be postponed if a witness, advocate or counsel fails to appear.
     • A Hearing is open to the public except when the appellant, respondent or a Panel member requests that the Hearing be closed. Members of the public may not participate in, or in any way disrupt, the Hearing. Any member of the public, or the support person, may be removed from the Hearing by the Panel.
     • All witnesses called by either side should be present at the start of the Hearing to be introduced, and then, unless the Panel decides otherwise, only while giving testimony. If the Hearing remains open, witnesses may return after all witnesses have presented their testimony.
     • If either party brings witnesses not listed in the appeal form or the Notice of Hearing, the Panel must decide if those witnesses are to be heard.
     • If new documentation is presented the Panel must determine if that documentation is to be considered. If there is no objection from the other party, the documentation should be accepted. The Hearing may be adjourned to allow the other party time to review the new documents. The Panel may determine that the documentation is not relevant and is not to be accepted.
   • In exceptional circumstances when a member of the Panel cannot attend, the requirement for a quorum can be waived if both parties agree.
   • The Hearing may not be audio or video recorded by anyone, and no minutes of the proceedings are taken. The decision letter is considered the official record of the proceedings.
   • The Academic Integrity Officer or Secretary of Senate or designate may be present at the Hearing for the purpose of providing advice on procedural issues.

1. Burden and Standard of Proof: In a Misconduct appeal the onus is on the University (e.g. instructor, Chair/Director) to show that misconduct has occurred and that the penalty assessed or recommended is reasonable and in keeping with the nature of the misconduct. The standard of proof in all decisions shall be “a balance of probabilities”. This means that, in order for students to be denied their appeals, it must be shown that it is more likely than not that the student committed academic misconduct.
2. The Chair of an Academic Integrity Council Panel must forward a copy of all appeals decisions to the student, instructor, Chair/Director, Dean, Dean of Graduate Studies where appropriate, Academic Integrity Officer, and Registrar. Appeal decisions of the Senate Appeals Committee will be sent, in addition, to the Chair of the Academic Integrity Council Panel.
3. The Academic Integrity Council may assign a penalty higher than the one recommended by the instructor or Chair/Director in exceptional circumstances if new evidence is presented in an appeal or an automatic hearing, or if the assigned or recommended penalty differs dramatically from the published penalty guidelines.
4. The Academic Integrity Officer will:
   • review all Hearing Panel decisions and bring those which are inconsistent to the attention of the appropriate parties; and
   • maintain statistics on Academic Misconduct and report these, in a non-identifying manner, to the Deans on an annual basis

1. If a student drops the course, the Registrar’s office will re-register the student in that course until a decision is reached.
2. If academic misconduct is found and a grade of “F” is assigned for the course, that grade shall remain on the student’s record and the notation DN will be assigned. If academic misconduct is found and only a grade of “0” is assigned for the work, the student may drop the course in accordance with the published deadline

1. Instructors must be prepared to present the evidence for their suspicion at their scheduled meeting with the student(s). Students may bring, or be asked to bring, rough notes, drafts or other documents.
2. If an instructor suspects academic misconduct and raises that suspicion with a student and decides not to charge a student, he or she may not subsequently change his or her mind and charge the student with academic misconduct.
3. If evidence is discovered more than four (4) weeks after a final grade has been assigned for the course, the instructor may present that evidence, in a non-identifying way, to the Academic Integrity Officer to request permission to notify the student of a suspicion of Academic Misconduct. The Academic Integrity Officer will determine whether notification to the student would be reasonable given the circumstances and the amount of time that has passed and provide that determination in writing to the instructor.