AOP 216 Academic Integrity Policy

1. Introduction and Purpose 

Loyalist College believes that the development of self-discipline and acceptable standards of academic integrity are fundamental to the learning process. The establishment and maintenance of professional behaviour is the responsibility of all members of the Loyalist College community.   

2. Application 

This policy applies to all Loyalist College Students. 

3. Definitions 

Academic dishonesty: includes a variety of actions including, but not limited to, plagiarism, conflict of interest, cheating, falsification, misrepresentation and fraudulent behaviour, and copyright breaches. 

Plagiarism: presenting and using another’s published or unpublished work, including theories, concepts, data, source material, methodologies or findings, including graphs and images, as one’s own, without appropriate referencing and, if required, without permission. 

Conflict of interest: failure to appropriately manage any real, potential or perceived conflict of interest, in accordance with the College’s policy on conflict of interest in research. 

Cheating: to take an examination or test in a dishonest way, as by improper access to answers or misrepresentation of any work that is not your own. 

Falsification: manipulating, changing, or omitting data, source material, methodologies or findings, including graphs and images, without acknowledgement and which results in inaccurate findings or conclusions. 

Misrepresentation and fraudulent behaviour: providing incomplete, inaccurate or false information or behaviour, including taking an examination or completing an assignment for another student or having another student take an examination or complete an assignment on your behalf. 

Copyright: means the rights and responsibilities as identified in the Copyright Act (see AOP 206). 

4. Policy Statement 

Loyalist College informs its community of its Academic Integrity policy and procedures through student and faculty orientation conducted online and in-person, the Student Portal, and making the policy available through the College’s public web site.

Students must comply with legislation regarding copyright, trademark, and licensing agreements. The law applies on the intranet/internet as it does on paper. Students will not, for example, violate copyright conditions specified on Loyalist College-owned software, texts, and/or any other materials subject to the terms of this legislation.

Students who are not familiar with this legislation should clarify their responsibility with Loyalist College library staff. Students should be aware that Loyalist College will not provide protection or assistance relating to charges arising from violation of the copyright law.

Students are expected to conduct themselves honestly and with integrity in all communications, applications, assignments, examinations, and any other correspondence. Students are also expected to use computer resources, including the internet, in accordance with Loyalist College policy and not store or transmit offensive material through computing resources.

Students that commit any of the following offences will have the appropriate penalty or sanction applied to their academic record:

• Copying from another student(s) in a test or examination situation.
• Copying and submitting in whole or in part, the work of another in an assignment, report, project, etc. as one’s own.
• Copying and submitting in whole or in part, electronic files or data created by another person without the author’s permission.
• Using unauthorized material or aids in the preparation of an assignment or project.
• Possessing unauthorized material or aids in a test or examination situation.
• Claiming to have completed assigned tasks that were in fact completed by another person.
• Plagiarizing materials or works in whole or in part, prepared by another person without citing appropriate reference credit.
• Allowing another person to take a test or examination in one’s place.
• Improperly obtaining through theft, bribery, collusion, or otherwise, any text or examination paper prior to the date and time for writing such test or examination.
• Aiding or abetting anyone in an academic offence.
• Fraud/forgery.

5. Related Documents and Links

• AOP 216 Academic Integrity Procedure (previous version)
• AOP 206 Copyright Ownerships
• AOP 209 Student Code of Conduct: Positive Learning and Living Environment
• AOP 231 Academic Appeal Process (previous version)
• ACAD 207 Academic Appeals Policy (new version of AOP 231)
• AOP 224 Evaluation of Student Performance
• AOP 220 Integrity in Research and Scholarship
• Academic Integrity Agreement
• Appendix A: Breach of Academic Integrity Form
• Process Flowchart

6. Non-Compliance 

Outcomes for non-compliance and the process for addressing allegations of academic dishonesty are outlined in the Academic Integrity Procedure.