Wronged by Ryerson

By Owen Leitch

A business student found guilty of violating Ryerson’s Student Code of Conduct claims he, too, has been violated.

Sameh El-Falou, a fourth-year ITM student, and two of his classmates were found guilty of academic misconduct by the Faculty Appeals Committee, and given a failing grade in their course because they allegedly submitted a group assignment that has been completed before the start of the course.

El-Falou’s group appealed the decision and are currently awaiting the university’s decision.

However, El-Falou is upset at Ryerson because his transcript was included – without his consent – in packages that were mailed to each group confirming the date of the appeal.

“This is a violation of my privacy,” El-Falou said. “I don’t think I can trust this school anymore.”

Section B4 of Ryerson’s Student Code of Academic Conduct states that students have a right of confidentiality regarding their academic records.

El-Falou said he was shocked when his classmates told him that they knew what his grades were.

“Of all the people in my group only my grades were included,” El-Falou said. “Why me? That’s what I want to know.”

Maurice Mazerolle, a chair of the faculty appeals committee, said the inclusion of El-Falou’s marks in the packages was an accident.

“It was an absolute error and he was apologized to,” Mazerolle said. “It was an accident by the dean’s secretary. There is not a conspiracy here at all.”

El-Falou said he is not satisfied and wants more than an apology.

“I am facing serious problems in my academic career because of this accusation (of academic misconduct), and they can get off with an apology… It’s a double standard,” he said.

Although El-Falou is adamant his group did not cheat on the assignment, he is willing to apologize to the appeals committee – just as they apologized for their error – if the charges against his group are dropped. Complicating matters for El-Falou, who would be graduating this spring, is the fact this is his second accusation of academic misconduct this year.

The Student Conduct Code, states that a student accused of a second offence will fail the course in question and be put on suspension.