Student Academic Integrity Handbook
2024 - 2025
Table of Contents
WHAT IS ACADEMIC INTEGRITY?
UBC Sauder Values
Why is Academic Integrity Important?
Academic Integrity and Business Ethics
A STUDENT’S ROLE
Understanding the Transition to University
Being a Student: Your Role as an Academic Building Skills
Connection Between Stress and Academic Integrity
What if you Witness Academic Integrity Concerns?
1. Unauthorized Collaboration
2. Plagiarism
3. Unauthorized Generative Artificial Intelligence Use
6.
7.
What If I Didn’t Intend to Violate the Academic Integrity Policy
How Should I Respond to Concerns About My Academic Work?
What are the Outcomes of a Decision?
How are Decisions Made? What Goes on Record?
“Integrity is choosing courage over comfort; choosing what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy; and choosing to practice our values rather than simply professing them.”
-Brene Brown, Dare to Lead
What is academic integrity?
We consider academic integrity to be a part of the larger notion of personal integrity. When we act with integrity, it means that we are demonstrating good morals and ethical beliefs, and in doing so are demonstrating values which encourage trust and transparency. Academic integrity is this expression of personal integrity in the academic context – ensuring that we are demonstrating our own knowledge and work and that we are moving through our academic community with respect and a sense of responsibility.
Academic integrity forms the basis of academic work at any institute of higher learning. All community members – students, faculty, staff, and administration – are asked to uphold our work and the work of others and to make a commitment not to engage in acts that harm or create an unfair learning environment for our peers and communities.
In this handbook, we will guide you through what it means to be a member of the academic community, and our responsibilities as part of this community. You will explore how you can show leadership, encourage strong values, and review resources that can help you excel during your time at UBC Sauder.
UBC SAUDER VALUES
As part of our vision to build a more just, sustainable, and prosperous world through innovation and responsible leadership, UBC Sauder has a set of values to help guide our work and our actions. Let’s review UBC Sauder’s values, and how these relate to the concept of academic integrity.
RIGOUR
We are asked to uphold standards of personal and academic rigour. Academic rigour asks us to challenge and stretch our thinking, and to let our curiosity drive us to discover new things. Personal rigour speaks to the strength of practicing our values – of ensuring that we are holding ourselves to high moral and ethical standards to honour our entire community, even in times of stress and uncertainty.
RESPECT
Respect is essential to fostering an open and welcoming academic community. It asks us to learn about the traditions, values, and experiences of others so that we may understand and appreciate the diversity of perspectives. It also asks that we work to respect the time and effort of our peers and instructors – and to appreciate and acknowledge the gifts of knowledge from scholars and knowledgekeepers who came before us.
RESPONSIBILITY
As active members of our community, we have a responsibility to improve and transform the lives of others. We hold an important role of ‘knowledge caretakers’ and are called to recognize the gift of knowledge that we are being given and that we are being asked to carry. It is with responsible practice that we show our respect to our peers, our community, and those who have created, developed, and shared their knowledge.
1 Sarah Elaine Eaton (2024) Decolonizing academic integrity: knowledge caretaking as ethical practice, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, DOI: 10.1080/02602938.2024.2312918
WHY IS ACADEMIC INTEGRITY IMPORTANT?
As you enter university, you will join a larger community of peers, professors, scholars, and community leaders. This will add to your current and future relationships outside of the academic environment – including your relationships with friends, family, other professionals, and current and future employers. Your relationships with these individuals will be based on your actions, and whether they see you as honest, fair, and trustworthy. When you interact with those in your communities, they will consider your reputation to ensure that they can trust and rely on you, and to ensure that you will treat them fairly and with respect.
When looking for employees, business leaders look to hire individuals who have graduated from a respectable and honorable institution, with credentials that they trust. They look to hire employees who show integrity in their work and who can add value to their business through their skills and knowledge gained during their experience at university or elsewhere.
Our society values honest and responsible individuals, who can balance their own needs and interests with those of other people.
What you will learn during your time at UBC Sauder will be applied later in your life and future careers – you are working to gain the knowledge, critical thinking skills, and interpersonal skills that will help you excel as you continue to move through life.
In your academic journey with UBC Sauder, it is therefore essential that you, as an individual, can demonstrate that you have gained the necessary knowledge and learning that your degree will represent. To demonstrate your knowledge and to gain the skills for your degree, you must do your own work.
The reputation of the University of British Columbia rests upon academic excellence – and this is the same excellence that will give value to the credential you will earn upon graduation.
“We need to restore honor to the way we live, so that when we walk through the world we don’t have to avert our eyes with shame, so that we can hold our heads up high and receive the respectful acknowledgment of the rest of the earth’s beings.”
-Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND BUSINESS ETHICS
It’s important to note the direct connection academic integrity has with business and leadership ethics. Academic integrity is part of a holistic framework of ethics and is a foundational aspect of learning how to establish ethics that will be used in our future careers and the institutions that we develop and work in.
Sarah Eaton (2023), a leading researcher on academic integrity in Canada, developed a comprehensive academic integrity framework, where student academic conduct is placed alongside everyday ethics, institutional ethics, and ethical leadership (among other areas). The skills that we develop in our educational journey will be the same we utilize in different atmospheres when faced with similar pressures and competing priorities. It is therefore essential that we all work towards building strong, fair, and respectful communities.
CASE STUDIES
Below are some case studies of business ethics and real-world integrity.
We encourage students to consider the connection between their academics and future careers.
PODCAST
The Enron Whistleblower Not Past It | Gimlet Media https://gimletmedia.com/shows/not-past-it/awh2nn3
ARTICLE AND YOUTUBE Youtube Plagiarism
Hbomberguy Summary Article Decoding Everything | David Chen https://www.decodingeverything.com/p/i-watchedhbomberguys-4-hour-video
PODCAST
Research Ethics Invermectin: The Story of a Wonder Drug Science VS | Gimlet Media https://gimletmedia.com/shows/science-vs/z3ha7ko
2 Eaton, S.E. (2023). A Comprehensive Academic Integrity (CAI) Framework: An Overview. Calgary, Canada: University of Calgary.
A student’s role
UNDERSTANDING THE TRANSITION TO UNIVERSITY
Upon arrival to university - whether they are entering as a first-year student or a transfer student, whether they are an undergraduate or graduate student, or whether they are an international student or domestic student – many students find themselves surprised by the difficulty of transitioning to new learning expectations and a new social environment, which may be unlike any they have previously experienced.
Students may struggle to adapt to rigorous learning expectations, how they are being asked to show their learning, or new academic concepts like citing or academic writing.
At UBC Sauder, students are also expected to be active members in their educational journey. This means that students are asked to analyze, think critically, actively participate in their class discussions, and invest in their own academic growth.
Students will also be asked to develop their academic writing skills – which include concepts such as learning how to summarize, synthesize, paraphrase, and cite the works of others through appropriate citation procedures. These practices are required in the post-secondary environment and are necessary for many reasons – but most importantly it ensures that we are acknowledging and respecting the hard work of others. Learning how to cite (including when, where, and how to cite) will be an essential skill for all students, and we highly recommend that you approach citation as skill development; taking the time and effort to learn how to cite will help ensure your success in the academic environment.
Thankfully, there are many resources available to help students ease into this transition. These resources will be mentioned often by your advisors and instructors – we highly recommend that you actively seek out these resources to help you adapt and learn any necessary skills to excel in this new environment. Some can be found below, and a full list will be found in the resources section of this document:
• Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS)
• CLC Writing Coaching
• Presentation Coaching
• Research Support (CLC)
• Math Coaching (CLC)
• Centre for Writing and Scholarly Communication
BEING A STUDENT: YOUR ROLE AS AN ACADEMIC
Students will sometimes get sidetracked from their studies by other competing interests – social activities, extracurriculars, networking, or clubs. They may get caught up in the competitive atmosphere, looking to find a competitive edge to be at the top of their class or cohort. It’s important that we don’t lose sight of the things that really matter – that we continue to move through life in a way that positively contributes to our futures and our communities.
Here are some helpful questions to ask yourself throughout your academic journey and beyond:
How can I show respect through my pursuit of knowledge?
How can I show respect to the knowledge-keepers who came before me and those who will come after me?
How can I acknowledge, value, and honour the knowledge that is being shared with me?
How does this knowledge impact the world around me? How will it shape me? How will it impact my relationships, environment, and communities?
What are my responsibilities when pursuing and holding knowledge?
Why am I studying at UBC Sauder? What are the knowledge and skills that I’m hoping to gain during my time at UBC Sauder?
How am I accountable to my communities? To my peers? To myself?
These are big questions and ones that we might not always have clear answers for. It’s important to reflect on our educational journey to recognize that we are always part of a larger community and that our actions (big and small) impact those around us.
Students who reflect on these questions will move through the world with a greater understanding of the leaders they can be.
BUILDING SKILLS
Some of the more important skills that every student learns in their university journey are the soft skills that will allow them to succeed in both their academic journeys and careers – time management, organization, communication, and problem-solving. Helpfully, these are the same soft skills that will help students avoid academic integrity incidents.
If you feel that you need to improve these skills, luckily there are a lot of resources to help students practice and build them. The Hari B. Varshney Business Career Centre (BCC) team, includes dedicated
Career Strategists, Co-op Managers, Career Peer Advisors, and Employer Relations Professionals. The BCC offers personalized career coaching and advising, exclusive employer events, career education in the classroom, various experiential learning opportunities, and online career development resources. BCC services focus on human skills development, such as emotional intelligence (EQ), which is essential for current and future success. As a UBC Sauder student, you are encouraged to leverage the BCC’s resources at any stage of your academic journey to enhance your educational path.
Below are just some additional resources with some more helpful tips, advice, and resources:
• Chapman Learning Commons: Wellness & Personal Development
• Chapman Learning Commons: University Essential Skills
CONNECTION BETWEEN STRESS AND ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
There is also a clear connection between stress and anxiety leading to academic integrity issues in coursework. Students may feel overwhelmed by their academic load or experience external pressures or circumstances that are difficult to balance with their academic work. This stress and anxiety can result in some students trying to take shortcuts to help them manage everything.
We recognize that students can be under a lot of stress, so it’s important that they are aware of the wide range of mental health supports and resources available to help them navigate challenges and find healthy, ethical solutions for managing their academic workload.
Some of these include:
• UBC Sauder Counsellor
• UBC Group Counselling Programs
• Concession Policy (Undergraduate Program)
• Concession Policy (Graduate Programs)
• Diploma in Accounting Program Contact Information
• Centre for Accessibility
• AMS Peer Support
For more, check out the resources page.
WHAT IF YOU WITNESS ACADEMIC INTEGRITY CONCERNS?
Sometimes students may witness other students participating in work that could be a violation of UBC’s academic integrity policy. Often students express feeling unsure of what to do in those moments and feel torn between wanting to support their peers and allowing for a fair learning environment. It is important for us to remember that those two things do not need to be mutually exclusive.
Ethical leadership also sometimes means making ethical decisions that can be hard or uncomfortable. Luckily, there are small actions you can take or resources to talk to if you are unsure what to do. These can include:
TALK TO THE STUDENT VIOLATING THE UNIVERSITY POLICY
If you feel comfortable, you can talk to the student about their academic work before they submit it. Let them know about your concerns and the possible consequences of their actions. Point them in the direction of academic and non-academic supports that may help them avoid an academic integrity violation.
ASK FOR ADVICE
There are some resources available in UBC Sauder if students want to alert someone to their concerns, and to ask for advice on how they can proceed. These resources will often help walk you through your reporting options and give you some time to think before taking action. Students will not be required to report their concerns. These resources include:
• Your instructor
• UBC Counselling
• UBC Sauder Academic Integrity Office
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY CONCERNS
Concerns with integrity in academic work (defined as ‘Academic Misconduct’ in the UBC Calendar) include any incident or conduct where a student receives, or attempts to receive, an unfair academic advantage. This can also include incidents where a student compromises the integrity of the academic process, or when a student enables, or attempts to enable, another student to receive an unfair academic advantage.
In the following sections, we will discuss the most common academic integrity concerns that arise. However, it is important to note that this is not a complete list. To fully avoid academic integrity incidents students should ask themselves:
Am I receiving an unfair advantage by engaging in this behaviour?
Am I providing an unfair advantage or disadvantage to other students, either current or future, by engaging in this behaviour?
1. UNAUTHORIZED COLLABORATION
When students complete their academic work, the expectation is that they will complete their academic work individually and independently – unless provided with explicit instructions from their instructor on specific assignments. This helps to ensure that the work students prepare and submit reflects their individual understanding of the course content and/ or skills they are developing. Therefore, the grades they earn are an accurate representation of their own learning.
Examples of unauthorized collaboration can include:
Sharing graded academic work with other students (before or after submitting it).
Accessing other student’s work as ‘inspiration’ when completing your academic work.
Unauthorized collaboration is a form of cheating and describes an incident where a student submits academic work that is not fully representative of their own knowledge or skills, due to collaboration with other students or individuals. It’s important to note that students who share their work – in-person, electronically, or through third-party websites - and enable other students to use their work can also be found responsible for unauthorized collaboration.
Discussing or sharing group projects with those not in the group.
Posting/sharing/viewing/utilizing academic work to file-sharing sites (Course Hero, StuDocu, Quizlet, etc.) or messaging services (Discord, WeChat, WhatsApp, Messenger, etc.).
Tips to Avoid Unauthorized Collaboration
Not following collaboration guidelines offered by instructors.
We recognize that mentorship and collaboration may sometimes be encouraged in a Business School setting and that some students may experience confusion with what this academic integrity violation can look like. Therefore, here are some tips to help avoid raising concerns with your work:
What to Avoid
Do not directly share your academic work with other students when looking for peer feedback
Do not share your academic work with other students when looking to provide them support
Do not allow other students to edit your work directly when providing feedback
Do not collaborate with others if you are unsure if collaboration is permitted
Do not access any student work on file-sharing sites, such as Course Hero, StuDocu, Chegg, Quizlet, etc.
Do not upload your academic work to file-sharing sites
What to Do
If you are looking for peer feedback, let the other student(s) read your work under direct supervision
Direct other students to academic and non-academic support to help them manage their academic work
Use the peer feedback guide in the appendix of this resource to help give and receive peer feedback
Ask your instructor for clarification if you are unsure about assignment or course policies
Access academic resources on campus for support in your work
If you are looking for advice or guidance on your academic work, talk to your instructor during office hours
2. PLAGIARISM
The UBC Calendar describes plagiarism as “submitting or presenting the work of another person as one’s own without proper referencing.” It notes that the use of another person’s words, ideas, images, or work should be acknowledged through an accepted form of academic citation. With appropriate citation, it also means that students should acknowledge the use of someone’s direct words through the use of quotation marks or indentation. When students cite their sources, they give the original credit to the author/creator of the original work and help the reader find the original source. Importantly, they also strengthen their own work, by including credible work by experts in the field to show that they are well-informed and have found sources to support their argument. Citation therefore helps provide respectful acknowledgement of the work of others while bolstering our own academic work.
Examples of Plagiarism can include3:
DIRECT PLAGIARISM
Copying another person’s work with no attempt to acknowledge that the material was first created by them, also known as ‘copy and paste’ plagiarism.
“WORD SWITCH” PLAGIARISM
Taking another individual’s direct written text, and then using synonyms or translation software to change portions of the text to present the work as your own.
“COMMON KNOWLEDGE” ERRORS
When students fail to cite material when they mistakenly assume it to be “common knowledge”.
BIBLIOGRAPHY/REFERENCE LIST ERRORS
These can include incomplete or inaccurate reference lists, adding sources to a reference list that were not used, or fabricating a source in a reference list.
“PATCHWORK” PLAGIARISM
Copying ideas, phrases, or text from multiple sources and combining them to create a new text (without proper attribution).
PLAGIARIZING IMAGES
Using any graphs, charts, figures, images or other images without acknowledging the original source.
CITATION ERRORS
These are often unintentional forms of plagiarism which can include:
• Using another person’s direct words without the use of quotation marks/ indentation
• Paraphrasing another person’s words or ideas and failing to attribute to original author through in-text citation
• Using another person’s words or ideas and attempting to acknowledge them, but through inadequate or incorrect citation
It’s important to note that not all these forms of plagiarism are equal, but occur on a spectrum. For instance, citation errors would not be equivalent to copy-and-paste plagiarism.
3
TIPS TO AVOID PLAGIARISM
It’s important to note that learning how to cite, paraphrase, summarize, and appropriately attribute original authors is a skill that students learn. It’s important that students take the time to learn these skills, as they will be essential during their time in university and beyond.
Here are some tips and resources to help avoid plagiarism:
• UBC Library: Citation style guides
• Check out UBC resources on citation management
• UBC Library: Get Citation Help
• OWL Purdue: Best Practices to Avoid Plagiarism
• OWL Purdue: Should I Cite This?
• OWL Purdue: Common Knowledge and Attribution
NOTE ON SELF-PLAGIARISM
There is also a specific type of plagiarism and cheating, called “Self-Plagiarism”. The UBC Calendar defines this as a student reusing their own previous work (in whole or in part) without appropriate referencing/ citation and without prior approval from the instructor that they are submitting the reused work. Selfplagiarism can be a concern as it means that a student is not participating in the same way as other students in the course, which creates an unfair advantage, and it can decrease the learning opportunities for the student who copies their previous work (by not allowing them to further develop their understanding and critical knowledge).
Therefore, if you are ever considering re-using your own academic work, be sure to check with your instructor first to determine if this will be acceptable.
3. UNAUTHORIZED GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE USE
Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI) tools include a wide variety of tools that use artificial intelligence to produce content – including text, images, music, data analysis, complex designs and much more. Gen-AI tools offer some exciting opportunities in education and business; however, there is also a need to make use of these tools ethically, with verification, and to ensure that they help (not hinder) learning.
POPULAR GEN-AI TOOLS INCLUDE:
• Text-based large language models (LLMS) like ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, Copilot
• Translation tools like Deep L, Google Translate, Unbabel
• Image/Powerpoint tools like Midjourney, Dall-E, Stable Diffusion, paid versions of Canva
• Paraphrasing tools like QuillBot, paid versions of Grammarly
• And many more
Unethical use of Gen-AI in the classroom could include:
Using Gen-AI tools in coursework when the course syllabus notes Gen-AI use is prohibited
UBC Sauder has encouraged instructors to determine if Gen-AI will benefit students’ learning in their courses, or if Gen-AI inhibits a student’s ability to build basic skills and constitutes a shortcut to important learning. Every course will have its own policy on Gen-AI use, which they can find in their course syllabus. Instructors who permit its use will often also include detailed information on when and how it can be used in that particular course.
It’s essential that students follow these policies carefully, to ensure that they are contributing to an equitable environment for all students and earning a fair grade.
Using Gen-AI tools in coursework when the assessment guidelines note that Gen-AI tools are prohibited on that particular assessment
Use Gen-AI tools on an assignment where they are permitted, but in a way that they are not permitted (ex. a student copies Gen-AI output and submits it directly as their own when they were only permitted to use the tool for research)
Tips to Avoid Prohibited Gen-AI Use
More information can be found on UBC’s generative artificial intelligence website
Some tips to help avoid any concerns around your academic work and prohibited Gen-AI use include:
• Review your course syllabus for course policy on Gen-AI use
• Read assessment guidelines carefully – check to see if Gen-AI use is prohibited or permitted
• Do you use Gen-AI tools in ways not mentioned in your course syllabus? Ask your instructor for guidance whenever unsure.
Important Note: New Gen-AI tools are emerging every day, and we are in a place where we are exploring this new technology. It is fair if students are unsure or have questions about the appropriate use of these tools. Remember – your instructors set the guidelines for your course and are there to help clarify any expectations around coursework. Make sure to ask for clarification instead of assuming what your instructors would prefer.
4. EXAM CHEATING
Tests and Exams are important ways for instructors to assess a student’s learning and understanding of the course material. Fair and honest completion of exams is therefore essential to the university process, and there is the expectation that every student carefully follows exam procedures and guidelines. Exam cheating is considered a serious academic integrity concern, and students found responsible for not following exam guidelines may face serious outcomes as a result.
Examples of exam cheating can include:
Communicating or attempting to communicate with any individual during an exam (other than the instructor or invigilator).
Obtaining, possessing, or sharing exams, exam materials, or information about an exam without the instructor’s explicit permission.
Tips to avoid concerns with exams:
What to Avoid
Copying, attempting to copy, or allowing another student to copy all or part of exam content.
The use of translation tools during an exam, unless explicitly permitted by an instructor.
Proceed with your exam without carefully reading course announcements and exam instructions
Ask classmates questions during your exam
Ignore technical issues during your assessment
Keep any unpermitted technology on your person during an exam (phone, wearable technology, etc)
Do not hold onto any exam materials when you leave the exam
Do not discuss details of the exam with anyone who was not present in the exam room, and completed and submitted their exam
Ignore cheating that you observe during an exam
The use of Gen-AI tools during an exam, unless explicitly permitted by an instructor.
Possessing information, materials, or devices not specifically permitted by an instructor or invigilator during the exam (ex. websites, phones, smart watches, notes, course materials, etc.).
What to Do
Make sure to read and carefully follow exam rules and regulations
If you have questions during an exam, raise your hand to speak with the instructor or invigilator
Speak to your instructor or invigilator if you have any technical issues during your exam; they will help to mitigate any issues to ensure you can complete your assessment fairly
Please put all phones and wearable technology in your bag and away from you during your exam
Make sure that you hand in all required documents at the end of the exam (ex. copy of the exam, any notes taken during the exam, etc.)
Ensure that your peer has completed and submitted their exam that same semester before discussing exam details
Let the instructor or invigilator know immediately if you witness any concerns during your exam
5. SUBMITTING FALSE INFORMATION OR RECORDS
Falsification includes any time a student may submit false or incomplete information to UBC. This can also include failing to provide relevant information when it is requested.
Falsifying or fabricating any information used in academic work (including citations, research data, or lab work).
Falsifying documentation when submitting an appeal, concession, or response requested by the university.
Falsifying course or other required event attendance records (ex. signing in for a student or allowing another student to sign in for you).
6. CHEATING
Submitting false or incomplete records during the admissions process.
Cheating may include a wide variety of behaviours, which fall under the general understanding of cheating and speak a variety of ways where a student may receive some form of an unfair academic advantage. These can include:
Misrepresenting contributions to group projects, taking credit for group work you did not complete.
Distributing academic work through websites like Course Hero, Chegg, or StuDocu which may give another student an unfair advantage.
Tips to Avoid Cheating
Altering work that had already been given a mark, and then requesting the work be re-marked without prior permission from an instructor.
Violating any procedures meant to protect the integrity of an assessment.
Helping or allowing another student to cheat or plagiarize.
Completing in-class assessments (including iClicker) while not in class.
Receiving and using past/prior exams from peers and former students without instructor authorization.
What to Avoid
Move through your course without carefully reading the syllabus
Start an assessment without reading the assignment guidelines
Ignore academic integrity concerns that you witness
What to Do
Make sure to read your syllabus thoroughly and carefully, ideally at the beginning of the semester
Carefully read through assessment guidelines, and ask your instructor questions if you are unsure about any guidelines
Alert your instructor to possible cheating behaviours when you see them – be a leader in your community
Always consider possible unfair advantages when completing your academic work – do your fellow students have the same access to the resources that you do? Or could your actions possibly negatively impact your fellow students and the grades you all earn?
7. OUTSOURCING
Academic outsourcing (also known as “Contract Cheating”) occurs when a student has someone else complete their academic work (in whole or in part) and then submits that work as their own for credit. Outsourcing may be paid or unpaid and may include someone else completing part or all of the assessment. The work may be completed by a hired
Examples of outsourcing can include:
Submitting an assessment from a “tutoring” service, “essay mill”, paper-writing “service”, or Gen-AI tool as your own work.
company/individual, a ‘tutoring’ service, or fellow students, friends, or family of the student.
Outsourcing is considered a serious academic integrity concern, as it involves a student attempting to receive academic credit for work they did not complete themselves.
Producing academic work for a student to submit as their own, whether for free or in exchange for money or something else.
Submitting academic work that someone else has prepared (including a friend, family member, classmate, or tutor).
Having another individual sit in/ pretend to be a student during any exam, class, lab, or any other academic requirement.
Unauthorized or undisclosed of a tutor or editor (who manipulates, revises, or alters a student’s work).
OUTSOURCING AND BLACKMAIL
It’s important that students understand that contracting academic work to services, individuals, or companies for a fee comes at serious risk to the student. There is strong evidence to show that these companies often resort to blackmail and threats to exploit students further before or after the academic work is completed. This can include reporting a student to the Dean’s Office for cheating if students do not pay additional fees. We encourage students to be aware of this risk and to inform other students who may express interest in these companies to ensure safety for everyone.
More information can be found below:
• Contract Cheating and File Sharing: Avoid these risky forms of academic misconduct (UBC)
• 7 Ways the Contract Cheating Industry is Exploitative (Plagiarism Today)
• Criminal Grades? Contract cheating and student exploitation in Higher Education (The Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research)
• The infernal business of contract cheating: understanding the business processes and models of academic custom writing sites (Cath Ellis, Ian Michael Zucker & David Randall)
Academic Integrity Concerns: UBC Sauder Response
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CONCERNS ARISE WITH STUDENT WORK?
ALLEGATION
If an instructor has concerns with your academic work, they may first speak to you about their concerns. In this case, they will contact you with their concerns and ask to either meet with you to discuss your work or ask for a response in writing.
REVIEW
If they still have concerns after discussing the work with you, they will then report the concerns to the Academic Integrity Office at UBC Sauder. This office will then review and manage the case.
MEETING
You will receive an email from the Academic Integrity Office, setting out the concerns and asking you to provide your understanding and perspective about your academic work. You will also be able to provide any context that may have impacted or influenced your actions at the time of the incident and to provide any evidence to support your understanding of events.
DECISION
The Office will then take all the information related to your case to a UBC Sauder committee, which will review and decide your case. Decisions will be shared with students over email.
More information on this process can be found on the UBC Academic Integrity Hub website.
WHAT
IF I DIDN’T
INTEND
TO VIOLATE THE ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY?
While a student’s intention is important information for the Academic Integrity Office, it’s important to note that even if you did not intend to violate UBC’s academic integrity policy, you may still be found responsible for a policy violation and face outcomes as a result. This is because academic integrity concerns still impact our community, whether there was intention or not, and there is still a need to be accountable for our actions.
HOW SHOULD I RESPOND TO CONCERNS ABOUT MY ACADEMIC WORK?
When a student is notified that there are concerns with their academic work, they may experience a wide variety of emotions including fear, anxiety, frustration, or anger. These emotions are valid, and students have resources to help them navigate them, including Counselling support and Advocacy/Ombuds support. Be sure to respond respectfully and provide your understanding of events. Try to keep the following in mind:
CONSIDER THE CONCERNS
Review the concerns that are being brought forward. Review the Academic Misconduct section of the UBC Calendar. Consider what the instructor’s concerns may be, as well as your own understanding of events or your actions. If you are unsure about the nature or details of the concerns, request additional information.
BE HONEST
Denial in the face of evidence will not resolve the situation. Lying or fabricating evidence may lead to more serious outcomes or disciplinary measures. Be sure to explain your understanding honestly and plainly.
REMEMBER THE APPEAL PROCESS
If you believe that you are not being fully heard, or that you may be being treated unfairly, you have the opportunity to raise these concerns during this process. If you still do not feel heard then you are encouraged to raise these concerns through the appeals process. When a student is found responsible they will be given information on how and where to submit an appeal.
WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES OF A DECISION?
For students who are found responsible for academic misconduct, there are two main options for them to receive outcomes for their case:
UBC SAUDER DECISION
UBC Sauder may decide to manage the case and the decision within the faculty. This is often the option chosen when it is a student’s first incident and/or is less egregious or serious in nature. Outcomes in these cases are more limited, and can include a combination of the following:
• Reduced grade on the assessment (include a zero on the assessment)
• Formal warning
• The faculty may request that a student complete a reflection or educational exercise
PRESIDENT’S COMMITTEE ON STUDENT DISCIPLINE
When a case is considered to be serious and/or it is a repeat incident on behalf of the student, then the case will often be referred to the President’s Committee on Student Discipline (PACSD). More information on the PACSD process can be found in the UBC Calendar. Outcomes recommended by PACSD can be more serious in nature and can also include:
• Transcript notation of academic misconduct
• De-registration from courses
• Suspension or cancellation of scholarships, bursaries, or prizes
HOW ARE DECISIONS MADE?
• Denial of admission or re-admission
• Recommendation to revoke a degree or credential
• Suspension
• Expulsion
Decisions are made based on the balance of probabilities. The balance of probabilities states that a student can be found responsible if it is more likely than not for misconduct to have occurred. In other words, if after reviewing all available evidence it becomes more than 50% certain that a student violated the academic integrity policy, they can be found responsible.
When a student is found responsible, then their case is reviewed to determine fair and appropriate outcomes. There are a variety of factors that are considered if a student is found responsible which can include:
Were the concerns planned or a result of stress or impulse?
Did the student show accountability, honesty, and responsibility during this process?
Was the student aware that this would be an academic integrity concern?
Were other students impacted by the incident?
Was this the student’s first incident?
How much of the student’s work was affected?
Were there aggravating or mitigating factors?
WHAT GOES ON RECORD?
When a student is found responsible, this incident is kept on file in the UBC Sauder Academic Integrity Office. This file is also shared with the President’s Advisory Committee on Student Discipline for record-keeping purposes. A record of academic misconduct does not appear on official student records (such as transcripts) and should not impact a student’s extracurricular activities.
If a student is suspended or receives a transcription notation as an outcome, this will appear on the student’s transcript. Students who do receive a transcript notation through this process will often be provided with the opportunity to request the removal of the notation. More information on requesting the removal of a transcript notation can be found on the Office of University Counsel website.
QUESTIONS?
Do you have questions not answered by this handbook? The Academic Integrity Office at UBC Sauder is a resource for all UBC Sauder community members – including you as a student!
If you have any questions we highly encourage you to reach out to academicintegrity@sauder.ubc.ca to help get clarity.
Student Supports
ACADEMIC SUPPORTS
Academic Writing and Peer Resources
Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS)
CLC Writing Coaching
Presentation Coaching
Research Support (CLC)
Jump Start Your Research (David Lam Library)
Math Coaching (CLC)
Centre for Writing and Scholarly Communication
AMS Tutoring
Academic Services
Sauder Academic Advising (Undergraduate)
Sauder Program Manager (Graduate Programs)
Sauder Academic Support Services (Undergraduate)
Academic Concession Policy (Undergraduate)
Academic Concession Policy (Graduate Programs)
Centre for Accessibility
NON-ACADEMIC SUPPORTS
Counselling Support
Sauder-Embedded Counsellor
UBC Counselling Services
UBC Counselling Services: Group Counselling
Crisis Center BC / BC Crisis Line
Here2Talk
Health and Wellness Supports
UBC Wellness Center
UBC Health Services
Wellness Together Canada
HealthLink BC
Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre
AMS Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC)
Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO)
Advocacy and Ombuds Supports
AMS Advocacy
Office of the Student Ombudsperson
Graduate Student Society Advocacy
Academic Integrity Information for Students
Academic Integrity at UBC – Student Resources
Academic Misconduct Process for Students
UBC Calendar on Student Conduct and Discipline
UBC Calendar on Appeals
Resources
Adapted in part from “Academic Integrity Student Handbook”, Langara College https://langara.ca/student-services/academic-integrity/pdf/2023.01.30%20AI%20Student%20Handbook
Adapted in part from “Examples of Plagiarism,” Northern Illinois University, 2020 https://www.niu.edu/academic-integrity/faculty/committing/examples/index.shtml
Eaton, S. E. (2024). Decolonizing academic integrity: knowledge caretaking as ethical practice. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2024.2312918