This section deals with information that students should know prior to commencement of the program.
STUDENT DECLARATION AND RESPONSIBILITY
UBC Calendar
The complete text of the Calendar policy is below.
Upon registering, a student has initiated a contract with the University and is bound by the following declaration:
"I hereby accept and submit myself to the statutes, rules and regulations, and ordinances (including bylaws, codes, and policies) of The University of British Columbia, and of the faculty or faculties in which I am registered, and to any amendments thereto which may be made while I am a student of the University, and I promise to observe the same."
The student declaration is important. It imposes obligations on students and affects rights and privileges including property rights. You must not enrol as a student at the University if you do not agree to become bound by the declaration above. By agreeing to become a student, you make the declaration above and agree to be bound by it.
Each student is required to furnish the information necessary for the University record, to keep Enrolment Services informed of changes in name and contact information.
Students are required to inform themselves of the statutes, rules and regulations, and ordinances (including bylaws, codes, and policies) and to any amendments thereto applicable at the University. For policies and procedures issued by the Board of Governors, see the University of British Columbia Policy and Procedure Handbook or the Office of the University Counsel for the official text. For policies issued by the Vancouver Senate, see the Senate for up-to-date copies.
The University authorities do not assume responsibilities for others that naturally rest with adults themselves. This being so, the University relies on the good sense and on the home training of students for the preservation of good moral standards and for appropriate modes of behaviour and dress.
The University and University authorities are not obligated to enforce any statutes, rules, regulations, or ordinances (including bylaws, codes or policies) if discretionary enforceable by law or made under its, or their, power or authority.
ACADEMIC FREEDOM
UBC Calendar
The complete text of the Calendar policy is below.
The members of the University enjoy certain rights and privileges essential to the fulfillment of its primary functions: instruction and the pursuit of knowledge. Central among these rights is the freedom, within the law, to pursue what seems to them as fruitful avenues of inquiry, to teach and to learn unhindered by external or non-academic constraints, and to engage in full and unrestricted consideration of any opinion. This freedom extends not only to the regular members of the University, but to all who are invited to participate in its forum. Suppression of this freedom, whether by institutions of the state, the officers of the University, or the actions of private individuals, would prevent the University from carrying out its primary functions. All members of the University must recognize this fundamental principle and must share responsibility for supporting, safeguarding and preserving this central freedom. Behaviour that obstructs free and full discussion, not only of ideas that are safe and accepted, but of those which may be unpopular or even abhorrent, vitally threatens the integrity of the University's forum. Such behaviour cannot be tolerated.
ACADEMIC HONESTY AND STANDARDS
UBC Calendar
The complete text of the Calendar policy is below.
Academic honesty is essential to the continued functioning of the University of British Columbia as an institution of higher learning and research. All UBC students are expected to behave as honest and responsible members of an academic community. Breach of those expectations or failure to follow the appropriate policies, principles, rules, and guidelines of the University with respect to academic honesty may result in disciplinary action.
It is the student’s obligation to inform himself or herself of the applicable standards for academic honesty. Students must be aware that standards at the University of British Columbia may be different from those in secondary schools or at other institutions. If a student is in any doubt as to the standard of academic honesty in a particular course or assignment, then the student must consult with the instructor as soon as possible, and in no case should a student submit an assignment if the student is not clear on the relevant standard of academic honesty.
If an allegation is made against a student, the Registrar may place the student on academic hold until the President has made his or her final decision. When a student is placed on academic hold, the student is blocked from all activity in the Student Service Centre.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
The University of British Columbia has several policies passed by the Board of Governors that refer to intellectual property, including:
- Policy SC6 – Scholarly Integrity
- Policy LR2 – Research
- Policy LR11 – Inventions Policy
Please read the full Board of Governors' policies at the links above.
These policies apply equally to all students, faculty and staff, regardless of their position at the University. Whether undergraduate student or full professor, everyone has equal rights and obligations. The policies also apply to others connected with the University, such as visiting faculty or researchers who develop intellectual property using University facilities or with funds administered by the University.
The policies generally apply to scholarly work conducted while you are enrolled at or employed by the University. Copyright and other intellectual property rights to scholarly and literary works—including books, lecture notes, laboratory manuals, artifacts, visual art and music—produced by those connected with the University belong to the individuals involved. Publishers of these works may acquire copyright as a condition of publication.
There is additional information in the Intellectual Property Guide.
STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE
Statutory Authority
The President of the University has the authority under section 61 of the University Act to deal summarily with any matter of student discipline, allowing the President to take whatever disciplinary action he or she deems to be warranted by a student's academic misconduct. The specific provisions as to Academic Misconduct and Non-Academic Misconduct do not limit, and should not be construed as limiting in any way, the general authority conferred upon the President by the University Act
UBC Calendar: Discipline for Academic Misconduct
UBC Calendar: Discipline for Non-Academic Misconduct
UBC Calendar
All incidents of suspected academic misconduct must be reported to the Dean's Office in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. There may be prior instances of misconduct on record at Grad Studies that should be taken into account when determining an appropriate course of action. See UBC Calendar / Academic Misconduct / Investigation by the Dean's Office, 4.1. For graduate students registered in programs in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, "Dean's Office" means the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
The complete text of the Calendar policy is below.
Students are responsible for informing themselves of the guidelines of acceptable and non-acceptable conduct for graded assignments established by their instructors for specific courses and of the examples of academic misconduct set out below.
Academic misconduct that is subject to disciplinary measures includes, but is not limited to, engaging in, attempting to engage in, or assisting others to engage, in any of the actions described below.
- Cheating, which may include, but is not limited to:
a. falsification of any material subject to academic evaluation, including research data;
b. use of or participation in unauthorized collaborative work;
c. use or possession in an examination of any materials (including devices) other than those permitted by the examiner;
d. use, possession, or facilitation of unauthorized means to complete an examination (e.g., receiving unauthorized assistance from another person, or providing that assistance); and
e. dishonest practices that breach rules governing examinations or submissions for academic evaluation (UBC Calendar: Student Conduct During Examinations). - Plagiarism, which is intellectual theft, occurs where an individual submits or presents the oral or written work of another person as his or her own. Scholarship quite properly rests upon examining and referring to the thoughts and writings of others. However, when another person's words (i.e. phrases, sentences, or paragraphs), ideas, or entire works are used, the author must be acknowledged in the text, in footnotes, in endnotes, or in another accepted form of academic citation. Where direct quotations are made, they must be clearly delineated (for example, within quotation marks or separately indented). Failure to provide proper attribution is plagiarism because it represents someone else's work as one's own. Plagiarism should not occur in submitted drafts or final works. A student who seeks assistance from a tutor or other scholastic aids must ensure that the work submitted is the student's own. Students are responsible for ensuring that any work submitted does not constitute plagiarism. Students who are in any doubt as to what constitutes plagiarism should consult their instructor before handing in any assignments.
- Submitting the same, or substantially the same, essay, presentation, or assignment more than once (whether the earlier submission was at this or another institution) unless prior approval has been obtained from the instructor(s) to whom the assignment is to be submitted.
- Impersonating a candidate at an examination or other evaluation, facilitating the impersonation of a candidate, or availing oneself of the results of an impersonation.
- Submitting false records or information, orally or in writing, or failing to provide relevant information when requested.
- Falsifying or submitting false documents, transcripts, or other academic credentials.
- Failing to comply with any disciplinary measure imposed for academic misconduct.
UBC Calendar
Please read the full Senate policy in the Calendar.
Scholarly Integrity
All researchers and scholars are expected to behave in accordance with UBC’s Scholarly Integrity Policy (SC6). This includes acting with honesty, accountability, openness and fairness in the search for and dissemination of knowledge. Read more
Respectful Environment and Bullying and Harassment Prevention
UBC envisions a climate in which students, faculty and staff are provided with the best possible conditions for learning, researching and working, including an environment that is dedicated to excellence, equity and mutual respect. All UBC students should familiarize themselves with the Respectful Environment Statement and understand their role in fostering an environment in which respect, civility, diversity, opportunity and inclusion are valued. Students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that upholds the Statement’s principles in all communications and interactions with fellow UBC community members and the public in all university-related activities.
For graduate students, especially the ones interacting in the capacity as Research Assistants or Teaching Assistants, the information how to prevent bullying and harassment is very important, as well as understanding the available resources and ways of reporting incidents.