New code cracks down on cheaters
Drawing by Jim Payne
Stories by
MELODY WARD
Of the Emerald
Now that finals week has arrived,
it s approprate to review the negative
consequences that can occur when a
student is accused of cheating. While
few persons do cheat, the tempta
tion is always there.
The University student conduct
code was revised this year to include
more stringent procedures for cheat
ing incidents. Two education stu
dents were suspended fall term for
plagarism, and in more severe cases
students may be permanently expel
led from the University for cheating.
“Most cheating comes from stu
dents being inadequately prepared
or being so afraid of failing that they
lose perspective,” says Jack Hart,
chairer of the student conduct com
mittee. “One course is such an in
finitisimally small part of the life
ahead that it doesn’t merit the an
guish and agony that many students
give it.”
Hart says some “very serious stu
dents’’ cheat, but the worst kind of
cheating occurs for the same reason
shoplifting does — peer pressure.
“In a course to which a student has
a frivolous attitude, it can be seen as
a way of pulling one off against the
establishment,” he adds.
However, Hart doesn’t think most
cheating falls into that category.
“When you talk about cheating,
you’re talking about several different
things,” he explains. ‘‘One of the
most frequent forms of cheating is
having someone else go take your
test. Another is plagarism.”
Many students don’t seem to know
what plagarism is, according to Hart.
“Plagarism is simply submitting
someone else’s work as your own,”
he says. “Particularly in the writing
fields, you get familiar with
someone’s writing style and it isn’t
hard to tell.”
Hart says the old code was very
ineffective in dealing with cheating
and plagarism because cases went
through the student court system.
“Students on the court were ex
tremely reluctant to suspend fellow
students,” he explains.
The new code was written with the
idea of getting away from “slap on the
wrists” weaknesses in the old one.
“Now it’s almost a guaranteed sus
pension if you attempt cheating,"
Hart warns. "These days students
consider grades more important than
they did in the ’60 s.”
Cheating cases can be handled in
formally between the student and in
structor or student conduct officer,
but a student cannot be expelled or
suspended without a formal hearing.
"There’s a right of appeal all the
way up and down the line. It can go all
the way to the civil courts, ” Hart says.
Faculty members ars expected to
advise students that they have some
rights — they can hire their own at
torney if they wish.”
Hearings for cheating incidets are
public. “It’s really a trial,” Hart says.
“If the hearings officer finds the per
son guilty, the case can go on from
the University. If a student is expelled
from the University, it’s forever.”
Hart says some things that would
otherwise be considered cheating
can be cleared with the instructor in
advance, like submitting the same
paper for different classes.
“The point of taking a different
class is not to do the same work
over,” he remarks, stipulating that the
student must clear it with both instruc
tors. “If neither professor is told, it’s
an academic offense.”
Asked about the practice some
fraternities and sororities have of fil
ing past tests and papers, Hart says it
doesn’t qualify as cheating.
"We had files when I was a frater
nity man. Some were pretty good and
some pretty bad,” he reflects. “But if
the professor lets the students keep
their tests, I see no reason why
they couldn’t file them.”
Student offenders get
chance for due process
The student conduct code refers to cheating as "academic dishon
esty." When a student is suspected of plagarising, cheating or furnish
ing false information to a faculty or staff member, the following proce
dure is put into motion.
• Student faculty conference. The faculty member involved with the
student suspected of academic dishonesty meets with the student. The
instructor is expected to discuss the option of having the case referred
directly to the student conduct coordinator.
If the student is unwilling to meet with the instructor, or cannot do so
within a reasonable time period, the case may be referred to the conduct
coordinator for resolution.
If the faculty member is not available for a conference, the case
may be conducted by the department head, dean, or by student conduct
coordinator.
• Non-Contested Cases. When the student admits to cheating, the
instructor imposes an appropriate academic sanction up to and includ
ing an N mark for the course. If the instructor thinks further disciplinary
action is warranted, the incident may be referred to the student conduct
coordinator for further action.
• Appeal The student can always appeal the academic sanction to
the instructor’s department head or ultimately, to the dean of the college
or school in which the incident took place.
• Contested Cases. When the student denies involvement in a
cheating incident, the instructor is expected to refer the case to the
coordinator of student conduct for resolution. The case will be con
ducted following procedures established in Section III of the conduct
code (see time schedule of classes).
• Reporting Academic Dishonesty Incidents. Instructors are re
quired to file a written report of each case of cheating with their respec
tives department head, dean and the student conduct coordinator.
These reports are confidential and are retained for record-keeping
purposes are provided by the Student Records Policy.
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