RWC Course Outline Regulations

Course Outlines: A permitted or necessary change in mode of delivery may require adjustments to important aspects of course outlines, like class schedule and the number, nature, and weighting of assignments and/or exams.

Remote Learning: Students can get started with remote learning on our Nexus and/or Zoom platforms.

Email: Students have the responsibility to regularly check their UWinnipeg e-mail addresses to ensure timely receipt of correspondence from the University and/or their course instructors.

Class Cancellations: When it is necessary to cancel a class due to exceptional circumstances, every effort will be made to inform students via UWinnipeg email (and/or using the preferred form of communication, as designated in the course outline).

Voluntary Withdrawal: Please note that withdrawing before the VW date does not necessarily result in a fee refund.

Privacy: Students should be reminded of their rights in relation to the collecting of personal data by the University, especially if Zoom is being used for remote teaching and testing/proctoring.

Accessibility Services: Students with documented disabilities, temporary or chronic medical conditions, requiring academic accommodations for tests/exams or during lectures/laboratories are encouraged to contact Accessibility Services (AS) at 204.786.9771 or to discuss appropriate options. All information about a student’s disability or medical condition remains confidential.

Religious Holidays: Students may choose not to attend classes or write examinations on holy days of their religion, but they must notify their instructors at least two weeks in advance. Instructors will then provide opportunity for students to make up work or examinations without penalty. A list of religious holidays can be found in the 2022-23 Undergraduate Academic Calendar.

Mental Health: The University of Winnipeg affirms the importance of student mental health and our commitment to providing accessible, culturally appropriate, and effective services for students. Students who are seeking mental health supports are encouraged to reach out to the Wellness Centreor 204.988.7611.For community-based mental health resources and supports, students are encouraged to dial 2-1-1. This program of United Way is available 24/7 in 150 languages.

Writing Tutoring: The Writing Centre is open and is offering both in personwriting tutor appointments and online writing tutor appointments (through Zoom).

Research Ethics: Students conducting research interviews, focus groups, surveys, or any other method of collecting data from any person, including a family member, must obtain research ethics approval before commencing data collection. Exceptions are research activities done in class as a learning exercise. For submission requirements and deadlines, click here.

Regulations, Policies, and Academic Integrity: Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the “Regulations and Policies” found in the University Academic Calendar. Particular attention should be given to subsections 8 (“Student Discipline”), 9 (“Senate Appeals”), and 10 (“Grade Appeals”). Please emphasize the importance of maintaining academic integrity, and to the potential consequences of engaging in plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic misconduct. Even “unintentional” plagiarism, as described in the UW Library video tutorial “Academic Integrity” is a form of academic misconduct. Similarly, uploading essays and other assignments to essay vendor or trader sites (filesharing sites that are known providers of essays for use by others who submit them to instructors as their own work) is a form of misconduct, as it involves “aiding and abetting” plagiarism. More detailed information can be found here: Academic Misconduct Policy and Procedures.

Clear expectations for assignments, tests, and exams should be set for students to avoid instances of “unintentional” misconduct. For instance, if an exam is “take-home”, students should be advised on permitted resources, being able to collaborate (or not) with other students, etc.

Respectful Learning Environment: Students are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful manner on campus and in the learning environment irrespective of platform being used. Behaviour, communication, or acts that are inconsistent with a number of UW policies (e.g., Respectful Working and Learning Environment Policy, Acceptable Use of Information Technology Policy) could be considered “non-academic” misconduct. More detailed information can be found here Non-Academic Misconduct Policy and Procedures.

Instructors whose mode of delivery includes Zoom or a similar platform should clarify expectations for appropriate “remote classroom” behaviour or decorum (being on time, muting/unmuting, raising hand, reacting, etc.), and make appropriate allowances in order to respect the privacy of students (e.g., clarifying need to have video on/off).

Copyright and Intellectual Property: Course materials are the property of the instructor who developed them. Examples of such materials are course outlines, assignment descriptions, lecture notes, test questions, and presentation slides—irrespective of format. Students who upload these materials to filesharing sites, or in any other way share these materials with others outside the class without prior permission of the instructor/presenter, are in violation of copyright law and University policy. Students must also seek prior permission of the instructor/presenter before, for example, photographing, recording, or taking screenshots of slides, presentations, lectures, and notes on the board. Students found to be in violation of an instructor’s intellectual property rights could face serious consequences pursuant to the Academic Misconduct or Non-Academic Misconduct Policy; such consequences could possibly involve legal sanction under the Copyright Policy.

Department Statement on Academic Misconduct: As a student at the University of Winnipeg, you need to understand what academic misconduct is. The University believes in academic integrity and will penalize students who commit academic misconduct.

Here is what you need to do:

Read the University of Winnipeg Academic Calendar (Regulations & Policies section) to find out

• what academic misconduct is
• the procedures the University uses to investigate academic misconduct
• the possible penalties.

 Know what cheating and plagiarism mean

-cheating means getting someone else to do your work for you and handing in that work as your own

-plagiarism means presenting someone else’s words and ideas as your own. It includes:

• using the exact words you found in a source in your paper and not putting quotation marks around these words. Even if you include a citation and a reference entry, this is plagiarism.
• changing a few words in a passage from a source, putting the passage in your assignment, and not using quotation marks. Again, even with a citation and a reference entry, this is plagiarism.
• rewording a passage from a source and putting the passage in your assignment, but not showing in any way that these are not your ideas. This includes not introducing the passage in a way that shows it comes from something you have read and not including a citation or a reference entry.
• handing in the same assignment in two or more classes without having the permission of all of the instructors.

Learn how to avoid plagiarism

• ask for information from your instructor or from the staff in the Tutoring Centre
• use the reference manuals that are available in the University Library
• read the information on plagiarism on the University Library’s website
• find and use online resources that teach about documentation, such as the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University.

 Understand the consequences of any form of academic misconduct

• your instructor can report you to the Departmental Review Committee and the Senate Committee on Academic Misconduct
• the Senate Committee can decide that you have committed academic misconduct and penalize you
• the incident and your penalty will be on your file until you graduate.

Academic Integrity and AI Text-generating Tools:

Students must follow principles of academic integrity (e.g., honesty, respect, fairness, and responsibility) in their use of material obtained through AI text-generating tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Bing, Notion AI). If an instructor prohibits the use of AI tools in a course, students may face an allegation of academic misconduct if using them to do assignments. If AI tools are permitted, students must cite them. According to the MLA, “you should 1. cite a generative AI tool whenever you paraphrase, quote, or incorporate into your own work any content (whether text, image, data, or other) that was created by it 2. acknowledge all functional uses of the tool (like editing your prose or translating words) in a note, your text, or another suitable location 3. take care to vet the secondary sources it cites”. If students are not sure whether or not they can use AI tools, they should ask their professors.

Changes to Course Assignments and Information: Please note that course assignments and information may be subject to change over the course of the semester. If a change is required, the instructor will consult with the class and advise them of the proposed changes well in advance of any impacted deadlines.

Last Updated: October 16, 2023