Case Details
DATE:
December 4, 2025
PARTIES:
University of Toronto v. L.J.
HEARING DATE:
August 11, 2025, via Zoom
PANEL MEMBERS:
Cheryl Woodin, Chair
Dr. Maria Rozakis-Adcock, Faculty Panel Member
Dylan Dingwell, Student Panel Member
APPEARANCES:
Tina Lie, Assistant Discipline Counsel, Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP
Sonia Patel, Co-Counsel, Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein, LLP
HEARING SECRETARY:
Karen Bellinger, Associate Director, Office of Appeals, Discipline & Faculty Grievances
The Student was found guilty of three counts of plagiarism, contrary to section B.I.1(d) of the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters.
Neither the Student nor a representative for the Student attended the hearing. Counsel for the University asked that the Panel find that the Student had been provided with reasonable notice of the hearing and that the hearing proceed in the Student’s absence
In determining the appropriate sanction, the Panel heard submissions from the University and reviewed relevant cases involving similar offences. The Panel noted that the Student plagiarized in three different courses but did plead guilty to each of those offences. However, they stopped responding to the disciplinary process, so the Panel had no further insight into their remorse or any evidence of extenuating circumstances surrounding the commission of the offences. The chronology of offences, in which the Student was aware of the University’s concern with their conduct and nonetheless committed another offence, demonstrates a basis for concern about the likelihood of repetition. The Panel further noted that plagiarism is a serious offence that occasions considerable detriment to the University. It allows students to obtain credit for work that is not their own and results in gross unfairness to students who produce their own work. Finally, the Panel considered cases with similar fact patterns and found that all resulted in the same sanction sought by the University, a three-year suspension. The sanction was backdated to the date of the first day of the hearing.
The Panel ordered that the following sanction be imposed on the Student: final grades of zero in the courses; a three-year suspension from the University; a four-year notation on the Student’s academic record and transcript; and a report to the Provost for publication.