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About Academic Integrity

What is Academic Integrity?

Having academic integrity means acting fairly and honestly when engaging in academic activities. information icon

Cheating, plagiarizing and inappropriate copying of textbooks are examples of types of academic integrity violations.


Academic Integrity and Your Future Career

By having and applying an Academic Integrity Policy, Conestoga ensures graduates complete their studies fairly and honestly through hard work and dedication, and thus are well-prepared for their future careers. 

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When I graduate from Conestoga, I want my credential to have meaning with potential employers. That's why I respect Conestoga's commitment to academic integrity.

As an employer, I value Conestoga's commitment to academic integrity. It gives me confidence that Conestoga grads will have learned the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to be successful on the job. 

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Our Principles

All members of the Conestoga community are responsible for upholding the principles and practices of academic integrity.

Conestoga strives to ensure that all individuals involved in academic integrity investigations are treated in a fair, transparent and consistent manner.

This means ensuring information about academic integrity policies, procedures, expectations and supports are made available to all members of Conestoga's community.

 

Academic Integrity Office Responsibilities

The Academic Integrity Office (AIO) is an educational resource for all Conestoga members. We seek to promote a culture of integrity and academic excellence through educating students, staff, and faculty of the academic integrity policies, procedures and expectations. The AIO is a neutral party concerning all academic incident cases and is neither an advocate for students or faculty nor a decision-maker in the investigation process.

Student Responsibilities

As a current Conestoga student, you are expected to understand what constitutes an academic incident and to avoid any activities that may lead to an academic incident.

This means following your instructor's stated expectations, as well as the expectations outlined in the Academic Offences Policy and this website. Always ask for clarification as necessary.

Faculty Responsibilities

As a Conestoga faculty member, you are expected to understand what constitutes an academic incident and investigate all suspected incidents of which you become aware. If, at any moment of the identification or filing phase, you have questions or concerns, please consult with the Academic Integrity Office.

You must clearly notify any student under investigation, in writing, at the outset of the investigation. If you encounter academic misconduct during a testing situation, you must notify the student of what you witnessed and explain you will file an academic incident. It's encouraged to follow up via email with the students afterwards.

In all cases, if academic misconduct has occurred, the investigating faculty must log an academic offence or warning online using the Employee Portal. In unusual situations, the appropriate Chair or Dean should be consulted.