What can I do if I've been involved in an academic integrity investigation?

When an instructor or university employee thinks a student has committed a breach of academic integrity, they have a duty to address it. Depending on the circumstances, your instructor may choose to address it with you 1) informally in an educative and non-punitive way, or 2) through the formal process by reporting it. 

• If your instructor chooses to address it informally with you and you accept responsibility for the breach and agree with the proposed resolution, the rest of the steps in the process below do not apply.
• If they decide to proceed with the formal process and or if you would like to go through the formal process, the instructor will submit a report to their Dean's Office. You will then receive an email to your KPU student email notifying you that a report of an alleged breach of academic integrity has been submitted. The notification will include report information such as the date the incident took place, the course and assignment the report is for, and the circumstances around the incident.

You will be invited to meet with a university representative (e.g., a Dean, Associate Dean, or Academic Integrity Liaison) to discuss the report or you will be informed that you will need to contact the Dean’s Office if you would like to meet. If you would like to have this meeting, it is important to email the Dean’s Office within 7 business days of the date the notification email was sent.

If you believe you did not commit a breach of academic integrity, it is important to meet with the university representative so you can explain your perspective. If you do not meet with them, they will decide if a breach of academic integrity has taken place without your input.

You will be permitted to bring one support person with you to the meeting. A support person could be a friend or family member, or you can bring a support person from the Kwantlen Student Association. During the meeting, you will be able to ask questions, explain your perspective, and discuss what has happened. It is important to explain how you did the assignment and to admit if you made a mistake. The university representative might also recommend some support resources for you.

The university representative will decide if a breach of academic integrity has occurred by reviewing the report and considering any information discussed in the meeting. They may also consult with the course instructor, other students involved in the incident, or other university support services. The decision is based on a balance of probabilities where it will be determined that a breach of academic integrity has occurred if the university representative finds that it is more than 50% likely that a breach has taken place. 

If the university representative decides that a breach of academic integrity has occurred, they will then decide on the resolutions. Resolutions are determined by considering the circumstances, severity, and impact of the breach. They will also consider if you have had previous breaches of academic integrity. 

Usually, the resolution for a first offence is a mark of zero on the assignment. The resolution for a second offence is often a failing grade in the course. A third offense or higher can result in suspension from the university. Other resolutions are also possible, including writing a letter of apology or correcting plagiarism in an assignment and re-submitting it with a grade reduction. 

Once a decision is made, you will receive an email notifying you of the decision and resolutions. The letter will also be sent to your instructor. If it is determined that a breach has taken place, the letter will also be sent to Student Records, where a record of the breach of academic integrity will be kept. The breach of academic integrity will not appear on your official transcript.

If it is decided that a breach did not take place, your instructor will be directed to provide a grade for the assignment.

• You may bring a support person to the meeting with the university representative. Your support person may not speak on your behalf.
• The university is required to provide a copy of the report to you before you meet with the Associate Dean, Dean, or Dean’s Designate. The report is usually part of the initial notification email you receive.
• You have the right to appeal the decision if you feel like procedures were followed incorrectly or if there is new information regarding the incident. Information on Academic Integrity Appeals can be found here.

We understand that receiving a breach of academic integrity allegation can be stressful. KPU has free resources that can support you and help you avoid breaches in academic integrity.

• Student Rights and Responsibilities Office -  The office will provide accurate, consistent, and balanced information on KPU policies and help you understand your rights and responsibilities as a KPU student.
• Counselling Services – Arrange a meeting with a counsellor for emotional support and guidance.
• KPU’s 24/7 Student Support Program – My SSP – Get mental health support by telephone or chat in your preferred language. 
• Kwantlen Student Association Peer Support Resource Centre – Chat with trained student volunteers about university life and get connected with helpful resources.
• KSA Student Rights Centre - Contact the student advocacy coordinator for help navigating the process or if you would like someone to attend a meeting with you for support.
• Academic Advising – Meet with an academic advisor who can help you select the right courses to succeed in your studies. 
• Learning Strategists – Meet with a learning strategist from the Learning Centres who can help you learn skills to prevent academic integrity violations and succeed in your courses.
• The Learning Centres – In addition to learning strategists, access tutoring, workshops, and learning aids that can support you in your studies. 
• Library Academic Integrity Liaison – Speak with a librarian who can help you learn how to do university-level research, find good, reliable sources to use in your assignments, and cite those sources appropriately.

If you don’t know which Dean’s Office to contact, you can find out by looking up the course here, by asking your instructor, or by emailing one of the Dean’s Offices below for assistance.

Academic and Career Preparation: acpdeansoffice@kpu.ca 
Arts: arts@kpu.ca
Business: ai.business@kpu.ca
Health: FoH@kpu.ca
Science: ScienceAndHorticulture@kpu.ca 
Trades and Technology: joel.murray@kpu.ca
Wilson School of Design: design@kpu.ca