The colour of a student’s skin may increase their chances of academic misconduct charges, according to a recent report by the University of Ottawa’s Student Appeals Centre. The student-run centre provides consultation and support to students who have been accused of misconduct such as plagiarism.
According to the report, minorities made up 45 per cent of the 388 students who sought consultation in the past year. Of the 48 students who sought help regarding academic fraud (for violations like plagiarism), 71 per cent were visible minorities.
The centre’s report casts much of U of O’s appeals process into question, arguing that a student’s intent is not considered in determining their guilt, and that leeway is rarely given for honest mistakes.
In one case study, a student known as “Wendi” got a zero on an exam because she left her notes under her desk while writing it. Wendi claims she never looked at her notes and only the blank side of the paper was visible. Neither the testimony of the student sitting next to her nor that of the TA who accused her were considered in determining her guilt. “At the U of O, whether or not a student has fraudulent intentions is irrelevant in determining if there is academic fraud,” reads the report.
Student advocates close to the case cite differences in plagiarism standards between countries (which international students may not be clear on), a lack of awareness among students about what constitutes plagiarism, and plain old racial discrimination as causes of the disproportionate number of minority students facing charges. “It shows that there is systemic racism at the University of Ottawa,” said Seamus Wolfe, VP university at the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa. The report recommended sensitivity training for university personnel.
The administration has not issued an official response, and is still considering the report’s recommendations. “We’re moving as fast as we can,” U of O spokesperson Andrée Dumulon told the Ottawa Citizen.
At U of T, when a student is under suspicion of academic misconduct, they are allowed to explain their case at a hearing with their professor and a representative of their dean, explained Adam Awad, VP university affairs at the University of Toronto Students’ Union. The student may request their registrar to be present, and registrars often advise students on the appeal process, but they are not always able to attend the hearing. Students may bring their own legal counsel, but they must pay for it themselves.
Downtown Legal Services, provided by the Faculty of Law, is available to advise students on their options. They can also contact their ombudsperson for assistance, though Awad pointed out that most students are unaware of these options when they are accused. There is no office comparable to U of O’s Student Appeals Centre at U of T.
“I think something like that would be very useful at U of T, particularly because it’s so big,” said Awad.
