Steps for Handling Academic Dishonesty Cases - For Chairs

If the instructor is also the department chair, another faculty member should take over the chair’s role.

Under the policy, the chair is expected to convey their decision to the student within two weeks of receiving student comments or, if no comments are provided, within two weeks of receipt of the instructor report.

For cases of academic dishonesty in graduate courses, please see the Graduate Academic Integrity Policy or contact the Manager, School of Graduate Studies.

Step 1

Chair receives a copy of the Instructor Report and all supporting documentation. (Instructor should also have provided same information to student). Student has seven days from date of report to send written comments to the chair in order to add or clarify information in the Instructor Report. The chair is not expected to meet with the student unless the student requests such a meeting.

Step 2

Chair reviews Instructor Report and appeal information (if provided) from the student. If no responding comments have been received, the chair should be assured that a reasonable effort was made to notify the student of the charge and that the student has been given the opportunity to respond.

If the chair is not satisfied that academic dishonesty occurred, the chair informs both student and instructor, in writing, of that decision. The student should be assured that no further action will be taken unless new evidence comes to light. That notification must also be copied to academicintegrity@trentu.ca (the registration block will be removed).

If the chair is satisfied that academic dishonesty has occurred, chair determines if offence is minor or major (see FAQs for guidance) – go to STEP 3.

Step 3

Chair contacts academicintegrity@trentu.ca to see if a previous academic offence is on record. This step should not be taken until the chair has made the decision that academic dishonesty has occurred and has determined if minor or major (Step 2).

If there is a prior record, chair does not complete the Academic Dishonesty Chair Report. Instead, chair forwards case to the dean at academicintegrity@trentu.ca. Chair sends email to student (recommend using sample email), copied to instructor, notifying them that academic dishonesty occurred and, due to a prior offence on record, the case has been forwarded to the dean for a decision to be made. As well, student is told that they have two weeks to appeal decision of chair to the dean.

In addition to sending the dean (at academicintegrity@trentu.ca) all evidence supporting the allegation, the chair should provide the dean with copies of any email communications by the instructor and chair with the student, a summary of any meetings between the chair and the student, and whether in the chair’s opinion, the offence is minor or major.

If there is no prior record, Chair completes the Academic Dishonesty Chair Report and indicates if offence is minor or major:

• Minor Offence – student receives a grade of zero on the piece of work OR a grade between zero and 49% (the recommended penalty is a grade of zero, but if a chair believes a less punitive penalty is appropriate, the chair can assign a grade higher than zero; it must be a failing grade – i.e., lower than 50%)
• Major Offence – student receives a grade of zero on the piece of work; student receives a notation of ‘Academic Dishonesty’ on their transcript; chair may deduct a further amount (up to 100%) from the student’s final grade in the course – this can be included in the final grade calculation reported to the Office of the Registrar – if the student successfully appeals, the dean will contact the chair to arrange a change of grade

Simultaneous Offences – As a general rule, if the chair receives two or more simultaneous cases of academic dishonesty for the same student (and there is no prior record), each case should be treated as if it were the student’s first offence, whether it is minor or major.

Penalty Other Than Usual Penalty – If chair decides, due to extraordinary circumstances, to levy a penalty other than the usual penalty, the chair will notify the dean of the reasons.

Limits of Chair’s Authority – The chair cannot levy a penalty any stronger than a final grade of zero in the course. If chair decides that the offence requires a stronger penalty, the chair outlines the rationale and forwards case to the dean for a decision.

Step 4

Chair sends email to student with the Chair Report attached or with notice that Chair Report can be picked up from department office (recommend using sample email); copied to the instructor and the dean at academicintegrity@trentu.ca.

All hard copy documentation is filed in the departmental office. If student appeals, department will be asked to forward documentation to the Dean.

Student may appeal chair’s decision by writing to the dean at academicintegrity@trentu.ca within two weeks of receiving the form.

Steps for Handling Academic Integrity Cases (download PDF)