Academic Integrity for Graduate Students

Definition of Terms

  1. Academic integrity is essential to any academic institution and is in keeping with the mission of Concordia University. In order to protect the rights of students, the disciplinary procedure for dealing with cases of academic dishonesty follows these broad guidelines. Violations of academic integrity include “cheating” and “plagiarism” as defined by the university’s Student Code of Conduct (SCC).
  2. The term “cheating” includes, but is not limited to:
    1. use of any unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations;
    2. dependence upon the aid of sources beyond those authorized by the instructor in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments; or
    3. the acquisition, without permission, of tests or other academic material belonging to a member of the university faculty or staff
    4. academic deception (e.g. fabricating data, misrepresenting sources, misleading presentations, lying) in written or oral form.
  3. The term “plagiarism” includes, but is not limited to, the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgement. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials.
  4. The term “recycling” may be new to some.  Instructors expect that work submitted in a course is original work done for that course. These are two examples of recycling:
    1. Submitting your own work, which has been submitted and graded for an earlier course, for a second course.
    2. Submitting your own published work as original work for a course.

Implementation of Academic Integrity Policies

  1. The instructor will gather and document all evidence of academic dishonesty in a clear and concise manner. The instructor will complete a Graduate Student Academic Report.
  2. The instructor will present this evidence to the student. The instructor will notify the student in writing that this has been done and will provide instruction for the appeal process.
  3. The instructor may prescribe academic penalties, including but not restricted to, the requirement of additional work, an assignment of a failing grade on the work in question, or a failing grade for the entire course. Any prescribed penalties must be in writing and include instructions for the appeal process. These should be documented through the Graduate Student Academic Report.
  4. If this is a repeated occurrence, the Department Chair, Dean of the College and the AVP for Graduate Studies may impose additional penalties, including but not limited to dismissal from the departmental program, suspension from the university, or expulsion from the university.
  5. A student has the right to appeal the academic penalties imposed by the instructor by filing an appeal with the AVP for Graduate Studies within 3 university business days of the documented imposition of penalties. A response regarding the appeal is normally received within 15 university business days.