Appealing an Academic Integrity Decision (234KB | PDF)
Queen’s students, faculty, and staff all have responsibilities, through the Senate Policy on Academic Integrity for supporting and upholding the fundamental values of academic integrity: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage. The Senate Policy on Academic Integrity Procedures outlines certain procedural requirements of Faculties & Schools surrounding any investigation into an academic integrity concern. While there are slight variances between Faculties & Schools all students must have an opportunity to appeal an academic integrity decision, should they meet the grounds.
What can be appealed? Students may appeal the finding, the sanction, or both.
Review Section 4 (Appeals) of the Academic Integrity Procedures – Requirements of Faculties
The grounds for submitting an appeal are limited to cases in which a student is able to establish:
- A breach of procedural fairness, which could include such things as failing to:
- Permit a student to be heard by an unbiased decision-maker.
- Follow applicable rules, regulations, or university policy in a way that adversely affected a student’s right to a fair process.
- Make a reasonable decision. A “reasonable” decision is one that is rational in that its findings are based on evidence, thought out and supported by facts and logical inferences from findings of fact. To be reasonable, the decision must contain adequate reasons for the conclusions. A decision should not be overturned if it falls within a range of possible, acceptable outcomes. If the decision is “reasonable”, the decision-maker deciding the appeal is not permitted to substitute their opinion for that of the decision-maker whose decision is under appeal.
- The decision-maker whose decision is being appealed acted without, or exceeded their, jurisdiction. (e.g. an instructor imposes a sanction which is only available to the School AI Lead, such as a requirement to withdraw.)