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I. Purpose

i) This Policy outlines the expectations the School of Continuing Studies (SCS) at York University has of all stakeholders (i.e., students, instructors, coaches and staff), with respect to Academic Integrity and Academic Honesty.

II. Principles

i) Overarching Policy 

(a) The York University Senate Policy on Academic Honesty Sections 1 and 2 apply to all SCS stakeholders, except for those sub-sections identified in this document. 

(b) For SCS, wherever the term faculty is used within these sections of the York University Senate Policy on Academic Honesty, it shall be interpreted as the Department of Continuing Professional Education. 

(c) As SCS has developed its own Procedures Governing Breach of Academic Honesty (see Related Documents below), Section 3 of the York University Senate Policy on Academic Honesty does not apply to the SCS context. 

(d) In any instance of an alleged breach, a student will have an opportunity to provide an informed response to the allegations, see the SCS – CPE Academic Integrity Procedure. 

(e) If a student is alleged to be in breach of this Policy, the student will not be permitted to withdraw from the associated course for any reason, until the allegation has been addressed in accordance with the SCS – CPE Academic Integrity Procedure.

ii) Forms of Cheating

(a) The following will also be considered forms of cheating additional to those outlined in Section 2.1.1 of the York University Senate Policy on Academic Honesty: 

(i) Consulting any unauthorized source of information during an examination including, but not limited to, classroom peers, physical or digital course notes, “crib” notes, websites, course shell pages, or any person outside the examination; and,

(ii) Intentional disruption of an evaluation activity (e.g., test, roleplay) by any means.

iii) Summary of Penalties for Academic Misconduct

(a) For the Continuing Professional Education context within SCS, sub-sections 2.2.8 to 2.2.11 of the York University Senate Policy on Academic Honesty, will be replaced with:  

(i) Serious cases of alleged academic misconduct, including a pattern of lowergrade offences, may be issued upon approval of the Director, Continuing Professional Education:

(1) Suspension for a period of 1 – 5 years; 

(2) Expulsion from Continuing Professional Education. 

(ii) If a student is suspended or expelled from any CPE program, the Registrar of York University may be notified by the Director, Continuing Professional Education

(iii) Any decision to withhold or rescind a York certificate for any student who has completed all program requirements for the certificate, must be approved by the Director, Continuing Professional Education.

(b) The following also apply within the Continuing Professional Education (CPE) context: 

(i) Any ruling or sanction issued by the University regarding the academic honesty of a CPE student, whether or not it is related to a CPE program, shall supersede any ruling or sanction issued by CPE.

(ii) Access to student records and information is governed by York University’s Policy on Access to Information and Protection of Privacy and complies with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. 

(iii) No CPE stakeholder shall disclose the personal details of any alleged or substantiated breach of academic honesty to any other CPE stakeholder, unless required to do so as part of their duties; this includes the prohibiting of sharing details between instructors, students or staff.