Case #574

DATE: November 18, 2009
PARTIES: University of Toronto v. S.H.


Hearing Date(s): October 25, 2010

Panel Members:
Clifford Lax Q.C., Chair
Professor Kathi Wilson, Faculty Member
Michael Scott, Student Member

Appearances:
Andrew Vey, DLS for the Student
Lily Harmer, Assistant Discipline Counsel for the University

In Attendance:
S.H., the Student
Professor G. Scott Graham, Dean’s Designate

Trial Division – s. B.I.1(d); s. B.I.3(b) of the Code  - purchased essays – hearing attended– Agreed Statement of Facts– guilty plea  – Joint Submission on Penalty – no prior academic offences – admission of guilt – cooperation with University officials –– Joint Submission on Penalty accepted -  grade assignment of zero for courses; five-year suspension not to run concurrently with academic suspension; six-year notation on transcript; and report to Provost

Student charged with four offences under s. B.I.1(d) and s. B.I.3(b) of the Code. The charges related to the allegations that the Student purchased essays for two courses. The Student acknowledged he had been warned that plagiarism was a serious offence and that students having been found to have plagiarized were subject to severe penalties. When first confronted with the evidence of plagiarism, the Student admitted he had purchased the essays and submitted them as if they were his own work. The matter proceeded on an Agreed Statement of Facts. The Panel accepted the guilty plea and found a contravention of the Code under s. B.I.1(d). The two alternate charges under s. B.I.3(b) were withdrawn upon the registration of the two convictions. The Panel noted that Student readily admitted his guilt and cooperated with the University officials in the course of their investigation. The Student was a first-year student with no prior academic offences. The matter then proceeded on a Joint Submission on Penalty. The Panel accepted the Joint Submission on Penalty and imposed a final grade of zero in the courses, a five-year suspension not to run consecutively with the Student’s academic suspension, a six-year notation of the academic misconduct on the Student’s academic record, and that a report to the Provost be issued.