Academic Fraud
Definition
Sanctions
Procedures
Appeal of Faculty’s Decision
Cases of fraud that involve students from different faculties
What about cases of fraud that involve students from different faculties?
If the fraud allegation involves students from different faculties, the case goes to the faculty that offers the course, in accordance with the procedure set out in this regulation.
When the fraud allegation involves more than one student enrolled in a course offered by more than one faculty (including courses offered at both undergraduate and graduate levels), the case is submitted to the deans responsible for the courses in question. If the allegation is deemed to be founded, the deans will strike a joint inquiry committee.
Implications of a suspension from a program
What happens if I'm suspended from my program of studies?
If you’re suspended from a program, you don’t receive any credit for courses that are part of your program or that could meet the requirements of your program that you might take at the University of Ottawa or elsewhere during the time you’re suspended. No course taken at the University of Ottawa or elsewhere during the suspension period will be recognized by the University and no tuition fees will be refunded.
When your suspension is finished, you can continue your program by re-enrolling, according to the program requirements in place at that time.
Accelerated process for academic fraud cases
Under what circumstances can I choose the accelerated process for academic fraud cases?
Every student who is alleged to have committed academic fraud is eligible for the accelerated process, except in the following cases:
- this is not your first offence
- your offence is serious enough that it could lead to sanctions ranging from sanction (h) of the Regulation on Academic Fraud (suspension of a University of Ottawa or faculty scholarship for a specified period) to sanction (n) (any other sanction considered appropriate for the circumstances)
- it involves more than one student
How does the accelerated process work?
If the allegation against you is well-founded and you’re eligible for the accelerated process, your dean (or its representative) will inform you by writing, and you will have to choose between the regular and the accelerated processes. You have five (5) working days to respond otherwise the regular process will be started.
By accepting the accelerated process, you acknowledge that you have contravened the academic regulations, whether intentionally or not, and that there will be one or more sanctions.
What happens if I choose the accelerated process?
If you choose the accelerated process, a meeting is organized between the person responsible for the accelerated process for academic fraud cases and you. The goal of the meeting is to discuss the situation and arrive at an agreement in which you acknowledge that you have contravened the academic regulations, whether intentionally or not, and you accept the sanction imposed. You have two (2) working days after the meeting to sign and return the agreement to the person responsible for the accelerated process.
For this meeting, you can be accompanied by a person of your choice. Likewise, the person responsible for the accelerated process of academic fraud cases may also be accompanied. If this is the case, the person responsible for the accelerated process and you must provide, in advance, each other with the name of the person accompanying you.
Normally, sanctions range from a written warning (a) to a requirement to take an additional 3 to 30 units for your program (g).
The person responsible for the accelerated process of academic fraud cases forwards the results of the process, along with the sanction imposed, to the professor who made the allegation of fraud and to the director of your faculty within five (5) working days.
The accelerated process for an allegation of academic fraud normally takes fifteen (15) working days of the date the allegation is made.
You can end the process at any time before you sign an agreement. The regular process is then started.
The person responsible for the accelerated process of academic fraud cases can also end the process if it is unlikely an agreement can be reached, such as if you:
- don’t answer e-mails or return phone calls, or if you unfairly drag out the process
- refuse to acknowledge having committed academic fraud
- reject the proposed sanction
- don’t attend the meeting
If the regular process is started:
- Any information you’ve shared during the accelerated process is considered confidential and will not be revealed in the regular process.
- The fact that the accelerated process was started or that you considered using the process will not be revealed to the members of the inquiry committee in the regular process.
- No one who took part in the accelerated process (except for you) can be a member of the inquiry committee, unless you agree to it.
If you decide to file an appeal after you’ve signed an agreement, you must submit the appeal to the Senate Appeals Committee within ten (10) working days of having signed the agreement. Under the accelerated process, an appeal can be launched only in cases of procedural error.
For more information on the accelerated process, please see: Regulation 14.