Academic Integrity

• Acknowledge all phrases, sentences, ideas, and/or work of another person or artificial intelligence through an approved method of citation.
• Submit original academic work for assignments, projects, and papers. Do not use the same or similar work that was previously submitted for evaluation in the same or a different course, unless permitted to by the faculty member teaching the course in which the same or similar assignment is being submitted.
• Ensure all work was not purchased or otherwise acquired from another source unless the work is commercially available, appropriately cited, and approved by the faculty member. This includes not attempting to purchase or facilitate the purchase of work from another source.

• Only using materials approved by the faculty member when taking exams. This includes not possessing or using question sheets, answer books, cheat sheets, completed exams, notes, aids, or any other sources of information.
• Not using electronic devices, including phones, tablets, and laptops, during an examination, unless approved by the faculty member.
• Keeping your eyes on your own work during exams and quizzes; avoid looking at or attempting to look at another student’s answers.
• Staying focused on your own work during exams and quizzes; do not communicate or attempt to communicate with others.
• Protecting your work to prevent others from looking at your answers.

• Being present and engaged in exams and other academic evaluation, ensuring that you are not impersonating or knowingly being impersonated in an exam or other academic evaluation.
• Avoiding falsifying material that will be academically evaluated.
• Submitting legitimate records and documentation, including medical notes, laboratory records, attendance documents, workplace placements, or research findings.
• Sending legitimate information related to BCIT processes and procedures, including the withdrawal process and obtaining academic accommodations.

We encourage students to be supportive of each other in their courses and programs. When it comes to completing academic work, students must not negatively impact another student’s ability to pursue their academic work including, but not limited to, destroying materials, removing library books, preventing students from enrolling in classes, or altering another student’s work.

As soon as a faculty member becomes aware of an alleged violation of academic integrity, they or their designate will:

1. Gather and review all relevant documentation and, if necessary, meet with individuals who have relevant information regarding the alleged violation.
2. Provide the student with an opportunity (usually a meeting between the student and faculty member) for the student to provide their account of the situation.

A student may also bring a support person or BCITSA Advocate to any meeting regarding academic integrity.

Using all relevant information, the faculty member or designate will decide whether the alleged academic integrity violation occurred or not. If no violation occurred, the matter will be closed and no record will be created. If a violation has occurred, the faculty member must decide on an appropriate outcome.

When the faculty member or designate finds that the student has violated the academic integrity requirements, they will decide on an appropriate outcome by considering:

• • The extent and impact of the violation;
  • The importance of the work in question;
  • Whether the violation was deliberate or inadvertent;
  • Whether the violation was an isolated incident or part of repeated violations in the same course; and
  • Any other mitigating or aggravating circumstances.

The faculty member or designate may then impose one or more of the following outcomes:

• • Deliver a written warning to the student that they have violated the Student Code of Academic Integrity;
  • Require the student to resubmit the work, or complete a similar assignment, for equal or lower grade value of the original submission;
  • Assign a lower grade for the work;
  • Assign a failing grade for the work (worth 25% or less of the final grade);
  • Refer to Associate Dean for further review (for complicated cases including an egregious or repeat incident, or work worth more than 25% of final grade).

The faculty member or designate should then inform the student about the decision and the outcomes from the investigation, as well as informing them that the incident will be reported to the Student Life Office and the student will receive an official letter from BCIT.

The faculty member or designate must submit a BCIT Student Conduct Report Form, documenting all evidence used to reach their decision and selected outcome. One report should be submitted per student and per incident. The submitted form will be automatically sent to the Student Life Office. Within two to three business days of receiving the report form, the Student Life Office will send a notification letter containing the results of the investigation to the student, Associate Dean, and the faculty member or designate who submitted the report.

The Student Life Office will retain a copy of the report within the student’s conduct file. The decision maker (faculty member, Associate Dean, Registrar, or designate) is responsible for the storage and retention of all documentation and evidence consistent with the BCIT Records Management policy.

Students have the right to appeal the decision. More information can be found on the Appeals (Decision Review Board) page.

When the Student Life Office receives multiple reports of violations of the Student Code of Academic Integrity by the same student, they will notify the Associate Dean or Registrar as appropriate. The Associate Dean or Registrar will:

1. Review all submitted reports and complete their own investigation
2. Provide the student with notice of an opportunity to meet to respond to the allegation of multiple academic integrity violations
3. If necessary, impose one or more of the outcomes available to a faculty member, or one or more of the following:
   • Educational activity – require the student to complete a project, with the intent of understanding and/or contributing to the reparation of harm caused and/or trust lost as a result of the dishonesty
   • Failing grade on work (more than 25% of the final grade) – assign a failing grade for the work
   • Course grade – assign a lower grade in the course, including a failing grade
   • Request a formal investigation – in situations that involve evidence of significant violations of the Student Code of Academic Integrity, an investigator can be appointed by the Student Life Office to conduct a full investigation on behalf of the President

When the investigation is complete, the Associate Dean or Registrar must complete the BCIT Student Conduct Report Form, which will be automatically sent to the Student Life Office. The Student Life Office will send a notification letter containing the results of the investigation to the student and the Associate Dean and/or Registrar.

The Student Life Office will retain a copy of the report within the student’s conduct file. The decision maker (Associate Dean or Registrar) is responsible for the storage and retention of all documentation and evidence consistent with the BCIT Records Management policy.

Students have the right to appeal the decision. More information can be found on the Appeals (Decision Review Board) page.