Learn It To Earn It
When students graduate from St. Clair College, the college holds a ceremony called Convocation. Each graduate is presented with a stole, a symbol of the graduate's accomplishment.
The stole, along with the certificate, diploma, or degree credentials, bestowed by the college, is a recognition that the student has satisfied the learning requirements of their program.
Credentials are earned by students who apply themselves with honest academic effort. Shortcuts for the sake of grades - instead of doing the work with integrity - negatively impact a student's ability to develop the knowledge and skills they need. Negative consequences can result, both while at school and into the future when students take shortcuts in violation of academic integrity principles. Upholding standards of academic integrity ensures that students earn credit only for what they can demonstrate they have learned.
St. Clair College is committed to ensuring that learning is the basis upon which academic credentials are earned.
At St. Clair College, you have to learn it to earn it.
Academic Integrity
Integrity means to make choices according to a certain set of values.
Academic integrity means to be guided by shared values and norms of behaviour in all aspects of one's academic work.
St. Clair College is committed to the six fundamental values of academic integrity: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage. Applying these values can help guide students to make good choices about how to approach their schoolwork. Academic integrity means putting those values into practice and being accountable.
Faculty, staff and students each play an important role in building and maintaining a culture of academic integrity. All members of our college community have a shared responsibility to uphold the principles of academic integrity so that the teaching-learning relationship is built on mutual trust and respect, and that we maintain an honest and fair learning environment.
Academic integrity is integral to a student's academic success. The habits that students develop on their academic journey while at St. Clair College will carry them not only through their program of study but also into the workplace.
Building a Culture of Academic Integrity at St. Clair College
Meeting Students Where They're At: Onboarding
Academic integrity standards and practices may differ between education institutions, and it is important for new students to recognize and understand the academic integrity standards and practices at St. Clair College. Violations of the College's academic integrity standards can result in serious consequences for students.
Academic integrity training is provided to all new students as they embark on their program of study. The requirement that students complete the academic integrity module helps ensure that students have a common understanding of what it means to have academic integrity at St. Clair College and provides students with strategies to avoid violations of our academic integrity standards.
Providing Students with Resources and Support
Conduct that leads to violations of academic integrity principles may be precipitated by other underlying issues like poor time-management skills, personal stress factors, underdeveloped study skills, pressure to achieve high grades, lack of academic confidence, and so on.
St. Clair College provides many supports for students through Student Services and Library Services. Visit Student Services for more information about Student Success Officers, Counsellors, Learning Strategists, and Tutoring Services.
Excellence in Teaching & Learning: Professional Development & Faculty Resources
The teacher-learner relationship is vital to student engagement and achievement. This relationship must be built on trust, a fundamental aspect of academic integrity. Approaches to academic integrity from a values-based developmental approach recognize that education is transformative and builds capacity for life-long learning.
The Centre for Academic Excellence provides research, design, development and delivery of workshops and resources to faculty that integrates academic integrity into all aspects of teaching-learning, including curriculum design and assessment best practices.
Addressing Academic Misconduct
Academic dishonesty, cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic misconduct are violations of St. Clair College's Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities and can result in both academic and administrative penalties.
Academic penalties for misconduct are issued by the instructor and include warning, resubmission of assignment with or without mark deduction, mark penalty, grade deduction and a failing grade in the course. Administrative penalties are issued by Chairs, Deans and the Vice President Academic for violations of the Code of Students Rights and Responsibilities and include suspension or dismissal from the College.
Where appropriate, first instance issues of academic misconduct will be approached as a learning opportunity to take corrective action by requiring students to participate in an Academic Integrity Workshop, to reflect and take responsibility for the incident, and develop strategies to avoid future incidents of academic misconduct.
Students have a fundamental right to a fair process regarding allegations of academic misconduct, including the right to receive notification of suspected academic misconduct and the opportunity to respond to the alleged incident. Further, students have the right to appeal an academic or administrative penalty for academic misconduct before an unbiased and impartial panel comprised of a college administrator, faculty member and student member.
Academic Leadership
The importance of academic integrity is championed by academic leadership, starting with the Office of the President. The Centre for Academic Excellence works collaboratively with the Office of the Vice President, Academic, academic administrators, faculty, curriculum developers, student services and other staff, and student leaders, to develop strategies around a culture of academic integrity. The Academic Integrity Administrator and Academic Integrity Facilitator at the Centre for Academic Excellence oversee various aspects of these strategies. The College's Academic Integrity Committee, comprised of stakeholders across all departments, is a recommending body for addressing emerging issues and continuous improvement of processes.
St. Clair College is a member of the International Center for Academic Integrity (ICAI).