Case 672

DATE:

July 24, 2013

PARTIES:

University of Toronto v. J.K.

Hearing Date(s): 

November 27, 2012 

Panel Members:

William McDowell, Chair
Pascal Van Lieshout, Faculty Member
Peter Qiang, Student Member

Appearances:

Lily Harmer, Assistant Discipline Counsel for the University
John Britton, Dean's Designate
Lilach Gilady, Professor
Rebecca Sanders, Teaching Assistant
James McKee, Teaching Assistant
Matthew Walls, Teaching Assistant
Michael Nicholson, Associate Registrar 

In Attendance:

The Student
Kristi Gourlay, Manager, Office of Academic Integrity
Natalie Ramtahal, Coordinator, Appeals, Discipline and Faculty Grievances

Student charged with two offences under s. B.i.1(d) and two offences under s. B.i.1(a). The Student had admitted guilt but an Agreed Statement of Facts had not been prepared. Counsel for the University was therefore permitted to lead her witnesses during a brief examination period. The charges under s. B.i.1(d) related to allegations that the Student purchased two essays for submission as his own. The Student paid an individual to make substantial changes to a paper he wrote and convert his ideas, expressed in Korean, into English. The Student paid the same individual to write another paper for him in its entirety. The charges under s. B.i.1(a) related to an allegation that the Student submitted forged correspondence in support of a petition for a differed exam in two courses. The Student had suffered a head injury for which he had received academic accommodation in previous years. The Student continued to rely on this historical injury in his requests for academic accommodation, noting each time that the injury had occurred only “a month ago.” The Student had been warned about the consequences of academic misconduct previously, although he was not found guilty of any prior offence. The Panel imposed a final grade of zero in three courses, a recommendation that the Student be expelled from the University, and a five-year suspension.