Academic Integrity & Misconduct

Academic Integrity is a commitment to the values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility in academic work. It is expected all members of the University community adhere to these ethical values in all activities related to learning. Universities are responsible for conferring undergraduate and graduate degrees, which are the official record of a student’s academic journey. If the University were to let Academic Integrity infractions go unchecked, the institution and the transcripts it provides would lose legitimacy and credibility. This would then jeopardize the opportunities and careers of all who study and work at the University.

To ensure the commitments to academic integrity are upheld the university has created two things:

Guidance. There are many places where students can find guidance about Academic Integrity. This means that ignorance of an academic integrity infringement is rarely a satisfactory excuse. If it is unclear or you are not sure, it is your responsibility to clarify. You can find this guidance, for example:
- In your course outline
- From your instructor or the course content
- In the undergraduate or graduate policies on Academic Integrity
- The UVic website
- The Library Website
- The Integrity in Practice Course
An Academic Misconduct system to determine if/when infractions happened and impose penalties to deter future infractions.

I’ve been accused. What do I do?

Before you respond to an accusation:

Read the Policy carefully. You will be expected to know and understand either the undergraduate or graduate policy on Academic Integrity.

Read your course outline for any additional rules or procedures.

Consider the allegations that have been made. Do they make sense? Do you have enough information to properly respond? If not, ask for clarity before responding.

Know your rights. You have the right to:

Be notified that a decision is being made that may impact you
Be treated with respect, with dignity, and as innocent until the University finds otherwise
Be provided comprehensive details of the allegations. If you do not have enough information to properly respond, you have the right to ask for more information before a meeting or a deadline.
Be given a reasonable opportunity to respond and participate in a decision
An unbiased decision-maker who considers your individual circumstances
Bring an appropriate support person
A timely decision

Think about how you would like to respond. Most students respond to the allegations by either 1) admitting to them, 2) denying them (and providing some information to back up their version of events) or 3) asking for more information before they respond.

Know your resources:

Contact the Ombudsperson for advice before responding or at any time during the process. Any correspondence or meetings with the Ombudsperson are confidential.
Handling an allegation can be extremely stressful. Doing it alone can be harder. Consider reaching out to a trusted friend, family member, or Student Wellness. You can also take advantage of SupportConnect which is free and available anytime.