DATE: May 21, 2013
PARTIES: University of Toronto v. J.S.
Hearing Date(s): May 7, 2013
Panel Members:
Wendy Matheson, Chair
Dionne Aleman, Faculty Member
Adel Boulazreg, Student Member
Appearances:
Tina Lie, Assistant Discipline Counsel for the University
Jeff Marshman, Department of Computer Science
In Attendance:
The Student
Luc De Nil, Vice-Dean, Students, School of Graduate Studies
Andrea Sass-Kortsak, Associate Director, Academic Affairs and Graduate Coordinator, Dalla Lana School of Public Health
Christopher Lang, Director, Appeals, Discipline and Faculty Grievances
Trial Division – s. B.i.1(d) of the Code – plagiarism – submitted practicum report containing plagiarized passages – Agreed Statement of Facts – guilty plea – Joint Submission on Penalty – second offence – Student admitted guilt early and cooperated with the University – Student agreed to attend program on academic integrity before registering for any further courses – grade assignment of zero in the course; suspension just under five years; notation on transcript until graduation; report to Provost for publication
Student charged with one offence under s. B.i.1(d) and in the alternative, one offence under s. B.i.3(b) of the Code. The charges related to an allegation that the Student submitted a final practicum report that included verbatim or nearly verbatim passages from sources that were not properly cited. The Student attended the hearing. The Student pleaded guilty to the charge under s. B.i.1(d) and the matter proceeded by way of an agreed statement of facts. The Panel accepted the Student’s guilty plea. The Student and the University submitted an agreed statement of facts regarding penalty and adopted a joint position on sanction. The Student had been previously sanctioned in respect of academic dishonesty under s. B.i.3(b) of the Code. The previous offence related to two incidents that were treated together as a first offence and dealt with at the Decanal level. The Student had been warned that any subsequent offences would be treated more severely. The Student had admitted the charges early in the process and had cooperated with the University throughout. The Student had also agreed with the University that he would attend and participate in a mutually agreeable program or workshop regarding academic integrity prior to registering for any further courses with the University. The Panel noted that to reject a joint submission, the Panel would have to conclude that accepting the joint submission would bring the administration of justice into disrepute. The Panel concluded that this was not such a case and therefore accepted the joint submission on penalty. The Panel imposed a final grade of zero in the practicum courses, a suspension just under five years, a notation on the Student’s transcript lasting until graduation, and ordered that the case be reported to the Provost for publication.