Policy #16: Academic Integrity
16.1 Purpose
Academic integrity is built on honesty, respect, and fairness. Students, faculty, and staff at CiiAT are members of an intellectual community. As such, it’s expected that anyone studying, teaching, or otherwise participating in the CiiAT community will adhere to ethical values in all learning, teaching, and research.
Students are responsible for academic work that they have submitted or worked on with others. They are also expected to adhere to the ethical values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. This means not cheating, plagiarizing, falsifying materials, using an unauthorized editor or acting in other academically dishonest ways.
16.2 Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:
- Using an editor, whether paid or unpaid, unless the Academic Department grants explicit written permission
- Fraudulently manipulating electronic data or research data in order to achieve desired results
- Using work prepared in whole or in part by someone or something else (eg: commercially-prepared essays, AI tools) and submitting it as your own
- Citing a source from which material was not obtained
- Using a quoted reference from a non-original source while implying reference to the original source
- Submitting false records, information, or data in writing or orally
- Copying the answers or other work of another person
- Sharing information or answers when doing homeplay assignments, tests, or examinations except where the instructor has authorized collaborative work
- Having any materials or equipment in an exam or test other than those authorized by the examiners
- Accessing unauthorized information when doing homeplay assignments, tests, or examinations
- Impersonating a student on an exam or test, or being assigned the results of such an impersonation
- Accessing or attempting to access examinations or tests before it is permitted to do so
- Helping or attempting to help others engage in any of the conduct described above
16.3 AI at CiiAT
The use of any artificial intelligence, including ChatGPT for assignments or assessments may be in violation of the CiiAT Academic Integrity Policy if not used appropriately. If students have questions about ChatGPT, or other AI tools, please reach out to the Academic Department.
16.4 Violations of Academic Integrity
Students have a right to be heard and the right to a fair process. CiiAT takes allegations of violations of academic integrity seriously. If an instructor or other staff member is concerned that a student has violated the policy, they must document it and inform the Academic Department.
If a student is alleged to have violated the policy, the Academic Department must notify the student in writing. If the student refuses to participate in the process, the Academic Department may proceed to make a determination on whether a violation has occurred.
If a student is found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy, the penalties may be:
- A grade of zero for the assignment
- A failing grade for the whole course
- A notation on your transcript
- Rejection of parts or all of your papers or thesis
- Disciplinary action leading to academic probation or dismissal
The penalty assigned varies by circumstance, but is particularly serious when a student has already committed one violation. Along with these penalties, the student will also receive a letter of reprimand. This letter will stay in the student’s file for the duration that the file must be kept as per guidelines from the Private Training Institutions Branch of British Columbia.