An increase in fabricated student work at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) has been linked to the rise of generative AI technologies, according to a report submitted to the university’s senate by the Academic Integrity Committee. The committee revealed that there were 557 academic integrity cases adjudicated in the 2024-25 academic year, a slight decrease from 572 cases in 2023-24, but still significantly higher than the 340 cases recorded prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While traditionally, plagiarism accounted for many of these cases, the report indicates a marked shift. In 2024-25, only 20 cases were attributed to plagiarism, contrasting sharply with the rise in fabrication cases, which surged from fewer than a dozen to 104 in the same period, peaking at 206 in 2023-24.
The report attributes this increase in fabrication cases to the pervasive influence of generative AI in educational settings. It underscores the necessity for the committee and the Centre for Academic Integrity to enhance educational initiatives for faculty and students. This includes providing clear learning outcomes, setting expectations for assessment design, and educating students on the appropriate use of AI tools.
“Due to the rise of generative AI, fabrication cases continue to represent the second most common type of departure,” the report states. However, it acknowledges that increased awareness and educational efforts by instructors have contributed to a 50 percent reduction in fabrication cases from the previous year.
Moreover, the report highlights a significant increase in cases occurring within open learning classes compared to traditional on-campus courses, indicating a need for improved training and support for online faculty, as well as more robust assessment design.
Although TRU has yet to develop a specific policy addressing AI usage, it has made adjustments to its academic integrity policy to categorize the use of text-generative technologies, such as ChatGPT, as a form of fabrication. TRU president Dr. Airini remarked that the uptick in integrity cases is a measure of the university’s proactive approach to adapting its policies in line with AI advancements.
“It’s actually showing that the academic integrity policy is working because we’re actually seeing an increase being caught, and therefore those potential acts of cheating, fabrication being addressed,” she stated in an interview with Castanet.
Dr. Airini emphasized that all students have access to courses focused on the ethical use of AI, and professors are available to provide guidance on specific course expectations. The report noted that various training and information sessions have been conducted across the university, with several departments actively supporting educational and preventive strategies.
In addition, TRU is moving forward with an initiative named TRU HorAIzon, which aims to integrate AI learning programs for both students and faculty. This initiative is being led by Andrea Li, the university’s special advisor to the president on AI.
“That gives us a safe start to our work in AI, it gives us a focus on applied, responsible AI, and it also sets us up for continuous improvement in this area,” Dr. Airini added. “One of the things that we’ve realized early on as a university is that we need to be ready and we need to be leading when it comes to applied responsible AI.”
The report highlighted a concerning trend, with over 400 open learning cases and approximately 150 on-campus cases recorded in the last two years. Cheating emerged as the most prevalent breach of academic integrity, with nearly 300 cases documented in the 2024-25 academic year.
The committee called for a “rational, holistic approach” to address the challenges posed by academic integrity, emphasizing the need for consistent education within the TRU community. It advocates for fair, timely case treatment and a focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment, while also addressing the unique challenges created by AI.
A follow-up report from the Academic Integrity Committee is anticipated next October, which will include data from the 2025-26 academic year, as TRU continues to navigate the complex landscape of academic integrity in an increasingly AI-driven environment.
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