All students must follow the Academic Integrity Policy when completing course requirements and when interacting with the University. This policy reflects the high academic standards that form the basis for all credentials awarded by the University. When a student is suspected of violating the Policy, most commonly based on work submitted by the student, an administrative investigation is initiated by the Faculty, with evidence supplied by the faculty member reporting the suspected violation.
Information for Students
This page contains information for student regarding Academic Integrity matters within the undergraduate courses within the Faculty of Engineering and Design.
Have a question? An answer may already be available in the FAQ maintained by Ombuds Services. See also Additional Resources at the bottom of this page.
Academic Integrity Investigation Process
Faculty of Engineering and Design academic integrity investigations follow this workflow:
1. When an instructor believes misconduct has occurred they submit a report to the FED Associate Dean’s Office.
2. The Dean or designate reviews the evidence submitted by the instructor to determine if a full investigation is warranted. When a full investigation begins, an email notifying the student is sent giving a brief indication of the issue(s) of concern. When it is felt that the evidence is clear and substantial, this letter will include an option for the student to accept responsibility and the associated penalty. When a full investigation is not undertaken, the instructor is notified to proceed with grading the course based on the submitted work without penalty.
Current Processing Timelines
As a result of the pandemic, processing times for academic integrity offences have been significantly lengthened and delays may occur between the time the report is submitted by the instructor and the time the case is assigned to a Dean. If you need to check on the status of your case, please contact FEDAcademicIntegrity@carleton.ca.
What to do if Accused
If you have been accused of violating the Academic Integrity Policy, you will receive an allegation letter via email from FEDAcademicIntegrity@carleton.ca.
The allegation letter will include: the nature of the allegation, a copy of the evidence of the offence, and an invitation to respond via written statement or by scheduling a virtual meeting. The allegation letter will also include a deadline by which you are expected to respond; If you do not respond by the deadline, or if you refuse to attend a requested meeting, the Dean may make a decision based on the available evidence.
The Faculty strongly recommends that you review the evidence provided, and promptly contact Ombuds Services for advice before responding. Please note: whenever possible, all FED Academic Integrity meetings are attended by a representative from the University Ombuds Office.
Once you have responded to the allegation, the Dean will consider the statements and evidence from both you and your instructor, and may request additional information from either in the process of their investigation. They will then decide based on a thorough assessment of all the evidence, whether or not you have violated the Academic Integrity Policy. The Dean’s decision will be communicated to you in a decision letter, sent via email from FEDAcademicIntegrity@carleton.ca. Your instructor will receive a copy of the decision letter and, if applicable, will apply the sanctions specified by the Dean in the calculation of your final grade.
Appeal Process
You have the right to appeal a sanction imposed pursuant to this policy to the Student Academic Integrity Appeals Committee. Appeals of the Academic Integrity Policy are administered by the Assistant Registrar, Central Academic Records.
Filing an Appeal
Appeals shall be made in writing using the online appeal application form. The appeal must contain a concise statement that identifies precisely the grounds for the appeal. Valid grounds for appeal are specified in the Academic Integrity Policy. You are advised to consult with Ombuds Services or the Assistant Registrar, Central Academic Records for assistance in completing your appeal documentation.
Appeal Decision
- The Committee will notify you and the original decision-maker in writing within ten (10) days of making a decision regarding your appeal.
- Decisions of the Senate Student Academic Integrity Appeals Committee are final.
GNA Grade
Your instructor may decide to submit a GNA (grade not available) final grade if a decision on an academic integrity report has not been made. Within the Faculty of Engineering and Design, students are permitted to continue in subsequent courses with a GNA in a prerequisite course. If the presence of a GNA grade, either due to a pending allegation or for any other reason is affecting your ability to register please contact the Engineering Academic Support Office.
Once a decision letter is issued, your instructor will be directed to submit a change of grade. This process may take 5-10 business days for processing. If after 10 business days from the receipt of your decision letter, your final grade has not been released, please notify FEDAcademicIntegrity@carleton.ca.
Typical Penalties
Typical penalties for violations of Carleton’s Policy on Academic Integrity in courses offered by the Faculty of Engineering and Design are:
First offence*:
For 1000-level courses
- a letter of reprimand to be placed in a confidential file and to be expunged upon
graduation or 5 years after you cease your studies; - a grade of zero on the graded work associated with the offence; and,
- a reduction of your final course grade by one letter grade.
For 2000-level or higher courses
- Failure of the course
Second or subsequent offences: sanctions increase in severity based on the nature of the violation and student’s academic integrity violation history. Sanctions for repeat offenses generally involve: a grade of F in the course, a suspension from studies for up to three terms, or, in the most serious cases, expulsion from the University.
* While these are the typical penalties for first offence, the Dean may apply other, possibly more serious, penalties when warranted.