Overview

At Mohawk College, we have two types of academic appeals for students: Academic Integrity Appeals and Academic Grade Appeals. This page is dedicated to appeals related to academic integrity.

The Academic Integrity Appeals process ensures that students have access to a comprehensive, respectful and impartial review of their concerns upon receiving a Breach of Academic Integrity Notification. Students may appeal the decision (e.g., disputing that they breached academic integrity) or the sanction (e.g., that the sanction does not match the severity of the breach). Appeals must be made on reasonable grounds. For information visit the Mohawk College Academic Appeals webpage.

Tips & Hints

Stronger Grounds for Appeal

  • You did not breach academic integrity
  • You have evidence that contradicts official findings
  • The sanction does not match the recommended sanctions

Weaker Grounds for Appeal

  • You are unhappy that you were caught breaching academic integrity
  • You are facing a sanction that aligns with the recommended sanctions but you are unhappy with these consequences

Examples of situations that may lead to an Academic Integrity Appeal

  1. Mo has submitted a course assignment before the submission deadline. A week later, Mo received an email in which their professor accuses them of having purchased their essay. But Mo did all the work themselves and has saved the research notes and rough draft work. What should Mo do next?
  2. During a midterm exam which was online, Mo was writing the exam in their bedroom. While writing it, Mo’s roommate knocked on the door and stuck their head in to say that a delivery had arrived at the front door. After the exam, Mo received a notification that they had broken the rules for the online proctored exam and would receive a 0 as a result. What should Mo do next?
  3. During a lab, Mo needed to look up the definition of a word. As part of Mo’s academic accommodation for learning, their accommodation letter specifies that Mo may use a dictionary. But after the Lab, the technician approached Mo to say that they had breached academic integrity and would be submitting a Breach of Academic Integrity form. What should Mo do next?
  4. After submitting an independent study project, Mo received a Breach of Academic Integrity notification to their email. In this message, it said that Mo is suspected of having collaborated with their classmates to complete the project without authorization to work as a group. But Mo had completed this work independently. What should Mo do next?