What to do if you are accused of an offence:
You will have an opportunity to discuss the instructor’s concerns during your meeting with your instructor. Be honest, and relay what actually happened. If, after the meeting, your instructor has reasonable grounds to believe that an offence under the Code has been committed, it will be brought to the department Chair’s attention (in multi-department Faculties), and subsequently to the Dean’s Office.
During the meeting with the Dean’s Office, you will have a second opportunity to discuss the instructor’s concerns and to explain what occurred. You are welcome to bring a support person or friend with you to this meeting. You are also entitled to seek advice or even to be accompanied by a lawyer at the meeting with the Dean or his/her designate, although this is certainly not necessary. Students may consult Downtown Legal Services (DLS), the University’s legal clinic, for free, student-centred legal advice at any point in the academic integrity process. DLS has expertise in advising students on academic integrity cases, and welcomes inquiries from U of T students.
We recognize that the academic integrity process may cause students stress and concern, and therefore encourage students to meet with a registrar or academic advisor if they are suspected of an academic offence; advisors and registrars can provide support and ensure that you understand the process ahead. If your well-being is impacted, please visit U of T’s Mental Health website to see the range of supports available to you as a student.Or for immediate support, use the U of T Telus Health Student Support (with free counselling available in over 140 languages, 24 hours a day). Reach out if you need help or are struggling– there is lots of support available.