UpDate - Vol. 13, No. 1, Page 7
September 2, 1993
Options available for dealing with academic dishonesty

     Nancy Geist, assistant dean of students for student judicial affairs,
said a policy on academic dishonesty implemented last year was successful
in its first year.
     "The cornerstones of the new system are flexibility and fairness to
discourage and respond appropriately to cheating while protecting the
rights of both faculty and students," she said. "The new guidelines are
more in accordance with how faculty members personally deal with academic
dishonesty than the older policy, which mandated one type of referral and
one inflexible sanction."
     Cheating and other forms of academic dishonesty, such as plagiarism,
are a concern on every campus. Academic dishonesty can range from minor and
sometimes even unintentional infractions to major offenses, such as the
case of the student who stole exams and sold them.
     With the new policy, which encourages more faculty involvement, the
number of reports and referrals to the Dean of Students Office has almost
doubled, from approximately 32 two years ago to 63 this past year, she
said. This isn't to say the incidence of cheating is up but rather that
more faculty are using the improved system, Geist explained.
     When dishonesty occurs, there are three options, depending on the
severity of the offense, available to faculty members, Geist said.
     Option A is for minor infractions. A faculty member has the option of
writing a reprimand, requiring that a student repeat the work and/or giving
a grade penalty for the work in question.
     Under Option B, for more serious infractions, a faculty member may
give a lower or failing grade on the assignment, and/or in the course, and
the student may be removed from the course.
     A report of infractions, categorized as Option A or B, must be sent to
the Dean of Students Office, on a form provided by the office. Students
have the right to a judicial hearing, should they wish to challenge the
accusation or actions taken against them.
     Option C is for the most serious offenses when a faculty member refers
a formal charge to the Dean of Students Office for action by the
Undergraduate Student Judicial System. If found guilty through a hearing
procedure that includes the faculty member, the student receives a failure
in the course with an "X" notation on his or her record, indicating that
the failure was due to academic dishonesty. There are typically additional
sanctions imposed, such as deferred suspension or suspension from the
University. The "X" can be removed if the student takes a seven-week
academic honesty/values clarification seminar, taught through the Dean of
Students Office.
     Of the 63 cases in 1992-93, 45 were handled under Options A and B, and
18 cases were handled under Option C. Of these 18, four students were found
not guilty, two cases were dropped after an administrative hearing, and 12
students were found guilty of a violation of the academic dishonesty policy.
     Geist said faculty can encourage academic honesty by emphasizing what
is expected of students throughout the year. Many professors include a
section in the syllabus spelling out what is permissible and what is not in
terms of student collaboration, attribution and other areas, specific to
the class.
     Members of the Dean of Students Office also are available to talk to
student groups or departments on the topic.
     "We are planning on having a brief statement about academic honesty
printed on the blue books sold by the University Bookstore, and we have
several suggestions for exam time that faculty may find helpful," Geist
said.
     Other colleges have been interested in the University's policies in
this area. This spring, Geist published an article, "Confronting Cases of
Academic Dishonesty-Where Policy and Practice Meet" in Synthesis: Law and
Policy in Higher Education.
     "Dealing with academic dishonesty can be difficult, and our office is
here to suggest ways of encouraging honesty on campus, to advise faculty
who are encountering a problem and to ensure fairness for those involved. I
think the new system will be increasingly effective with faculty input and
support," Geist said.
     Tips for faculty to encourage honesty and the guidelines for dealing
with academic dishonesty are spelled out in The Official Student Handbook .
A brochure on the topic is also available, published by the Dean of
Students Office. Both publications have been distributed to faculty. Anyone
who would like extra copies may call 831-2117.
                                        -Sue Swyers Moncure