Discussion Paper:
Across the nation there are reports of academic dishonesty and the number of incidents is rising. Schools everywhere have been finding themselves dealing with different forms of cheating and the statistics are not positive.
The Center for Academic Integrity has conducted several major studies on the topic and the results are illustrative:
Many universities have been finding themselves lacking systems to deal with this academic dishonesty, therefore many have been developing honor codes. While most of these have been academic in nature, there have been a few dealing with overall student behavior and integrity.
The definition of honor has changed from the past and it is still an evolving concept. The word has fallen out of everyday use and does not hold the same noble images that it once did. In the development of honor codes and in the examination of the issues surrounding the problem of integrity, both academic and personal, a new definition of honor has emerged. It is one more closely related to traditional definition of ³virtue.² Marchus Aurelius attests that there are certain noble virtues to which humans can aspire: self-respect, consideration for others, honesty in all oneıs doings, faithfulness in response to duty, respect for othersı property and a commitment to oneıs own integrity. The Dean of the Faculty at Lyons College also cites these virtues as the basis of honor.
In addition, being an honorable person does not end with only possessing these qualities. One must place a premium on these qualities; they must commit to these values in their life and the lives of others, give them a high priority in their thoughts and actions, and live all areas of their lives in accordance with them. A person of honor wants to be known and trusted as such.
The concept of community plays into the definition of honor as well. Honor in a community means being interested in the overall health of that community. In a culture that highly values individualism, this is a difficult concept. One must not only commit to not cheating, lying or stealing personally, but also to confront and address the cheating of others. The welfare of the community must come before the individual welfare of its members. Holding others accountable for cheating or stealing is an aspect of living up to mutual expectations within a community. It is also important for anotherıs moral well being and development as a person.
Others believe that honor is strongly linked to trust; a person honors only that which the community has faith in and trusts. The success of ³honor² is strongly linked to person-to-person contact. As institutions have grown, the trust and personal contact with these institutions have diminished.
There are many reasons cited for this increase in incidents of dishonesty and its is clear it is rooted in todayıs culture. There is little value placed on the truth and from a young age, children are taught that things are a ³means to an end.² High value is placed on achievement rather than the integrity of the process. Many students report that they must cheat to ³keep up.² Because there is little accountability and those who are cheating are not disciplined, students who may not be currently cheating feel they must cheat in order to compete with those who are. They do not report incidents of cheating, because there is no system in place to effectively deal with these complaints.
Another reason is larger classes and research oriented faculty. A teacher is less likely to recognize unoriginal work if they do not know their students. As the professor shows less time and investment in his/her classes, the students do the same. The student feels little guilt about cheating if they have no personal relationship with the professor. Students also report that there is a hierarchy of sorts that applies to cheating. Cheating on homework is excusable because it is merely busywork, and doesnıt effectively reflect the knowledge of a student. Whereas cheating on an exam would be more serious offense.
There is also a tendency in our culture to want things before they have been earned. Credit cards are a good example; people want bigger, better toys when they cannot afford them. There is less value placed on independent work and pride taken in earning things. A feeling of entitlement has arisen, and this has also spilled over into academics.
Overall, the world of academics has seen a sharp decline in integrity. Reports of wide spread cheating have become a regular part of the news. Scandals have rocked the academic world, whether they involve high profile athletes, faculty, research, or a large number of middle school honor students.
The University of Colorado has not been unaffected by the issue of academic integrity. While there are few cases that are dealt with through the university system, academic and personal integrity are still a problem. We are a large research university with a fair number of ³mega-sections.² Graduate TAıs and recitations are a standard part of a studentıs schedule, and there are many classes where the student and professor have little to no personal contact. This alone not only fosters and environment where cheating doesnıt seem ³wrong,² but also one where it would be difficult to get caught.
There also seems to be an adversarial relationship between CU students and authority. While there isnıt always outright hostility, there is the impression of that two groups are working against each other. This is evident from the riots several years ago, and can be seen when dealing with issues such as the beer ban at Folsom and class sizes. The average student often feels like the university, as an institution, does not empathize with, or attempt to serve the student. Again, these are generalized statements, but there are many processes that a student must go through that add to this feeling.
There is, however, a trusting atmosphere around campus. Many students feel comfortable leaving their door unlocked, falling asleep in the grass, leaving their belongings in the library or UMC for a period of time. There is also a sense of pride in being part of the Boulder community. There is good potential for a community-based policy, such as an honor code, to be effective. The sense of trust that already exist can be utilized as a starting point for this process.
Additionally, in light of recent violence (such as Columbine), issues such as trust, morality, community, and safety have become topics of conversation. People want to do the right thing, and are thinking more and more about what that means. The respect for others, which comes with an honor code, is something that people are valuing and trying to foster. This is a good time to begin the development of an honor code that deals with issues of morality, respect, and safety. The sense of trust and respect that comes with an honor code are necessary steps to developing the kind of atmosphere that can make CU a great community.
Many schools use an Honor Council to promote a community of trust and to hear and determine the outcome of cases. This is a good idea, as long as this council is made up of students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
Many universities have variations of honor codes. Maryland and Virginia are perhaps two of the most well known. The University of Virginiaıs honor system is student-run. They define an honor offense as ³an intentional act of lying, cheating or stealing which warrants permanent dismissal from the University.² Three criteria are used to determine whether or not an honor offense has occurred.
They clearly define academic fraud, including extensive definitions of the following terms: plagiarism, multiple submission, false citation, and false data. Their system also recognizes conscientious retraction; the studentıs ability to admit a dishonest act before anyone has accused them of it. This allows them to remain at the University of Virginia. The admission is reviewed for its completeness and then is put in a confidential file. This file remains unopened until a complaint regarding the dishonest act is filed. The retraction is then investigated and if it is a thorough admission, the case is closed. I feel this retraction is a positive component because it allows people to make mistakes and recognizes the self-responsibility necessary to admit those mistakes and accept the consequences.
Students are only bound by the Honor System in Charlottesvill and Albemarie County, and any time where the student identifies him/herself as a University of Virginia student to gain oneıs trust. The geographic limitation, while recognizes student rights, encourages a separation of single acts and the way a person lives their life. If the expectation is that a university student is honorable, there should not be boundaries outside of which they can forget this honor.
The system at UVA is extensive and many different committees and councils exist. One interesting aspect is the Bad Check Committee. Due to the Honor Code, students are trusted to write and cash checks with merchants in the community. Any bad checks are referred to this committee. The honor Committee is student run and there are representatives from all the different colleges throughout campus. There are advisors who are trained to assist students through the process, both emotionally and logistically. There are members of the Honor Council who investigate, prosecute, and act as advocates for the accused students. There are Honor Educators whose purpose is to ensure the students fully understand the system. All proceedings are confidential.
The education aspect of the system is good, but I feel the overall system and number of committees are a little complicated.
The University of Maryland has a Code of Academic Integrity that is designed to uphold the commitment to the principles of truth and academic honesty. They clearly define cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, and plagiarism. In addition to other actions (suspension, expulsion, ect.) that can result from being found in violation of the code, a grade of XF is placed on the studentıs transcript. XF denotes a failure due to academic dishonesty. The ³X² can be removed after one year provided that:
If the infraction was not serious enough to expel or suspend, I agree that the student should have the opportunity to prove their ability to abide by the code.
The Maryland Code allows for self-referral once in a studentıs university career. They also require that exams are proctored:
Under the University of Maryland Code of academic Integrity, faculty share responsibility for encouraging academic honesty. The less responsibility an instructor takes during an exam, the greater the pressure on students. Proctors should stop any suspected cheating, while taking care not to disturb the concentration of other students, and report suspected misconduct to Student Honor Council.
The Stanford Honor Code also only applies to academics. One aspect of their code that I like is the second item:
B. The faculty on its part manifests its confidence in the honor of its students by refraining from proctoring examinations and from taking unusual and unreasonable precautions to prevent the forms of dishonesty mentioned above. The faculty will also avoid, as far as practicable, academic procedures that create temptations to violate the Honor Code
This reinforces the idea that students will rise to the standard that is set for them. If you expect honesty, you will be more likely to receive it. Stanford very thoroughly addresses the facultyıs role and spells out what they should and should not do. The point that address this are attached.
They include a third party clause as well:
Third-party
responsibility
A primary responsibility assumed by students is to discourage violations of the Honor Code by others. Various methods are possible. Drawing attention to a suspected violation may stop it. Moral suasion may be effective. Initiating formal procedures is necessary and obligatory remedy when other methods are inappropriate or have failed. Faculty members have like responsibilities when suspected violations come to their attention.
Stanford also give the following examples of violations of the honor code:
· Copying from anotherıs examination paper or allowing another to copy from oneıs own paper
· Unpermitted collaboration
· Plagiarism
· Revising and resubmitting a quiz or exam for re-grading without the instructorıs knowledge and consent
· Giving or receiving unpermitted aid on a take-home examination
· Representing as oneıs own work the work of another
· Giving or receiving aid on an academic assignment under circumstances in which reasonable person should have known that such aid was not permitted.
Northwestern University also has an academic honor code. The University Senate set forth Principles Regarding Academic Integrity, which are similar to those of the other universities. However, specific policies differ from college to college, which I feel is confusing and not an effective method. There are two points set forth in the Principles that I feel are important.
Past exams are an important thing to address at CU because of resources like the Copy Center and test files.
They also include Eight Cardinal Rules Of Academic Integrity
The Honor System at Washington and Lee is more extensive and sets expectations that reach further than just academics. The following is taken from their website:
Under our system, students must not lie, cheat, steal or misrepresent themselves in any way that is considered dishonorable by the student generation involved. Students found guilty by their peers of a breach of our Honor System are permanently dismissed from the University. The Honor System of Washington and Lee is based on the fundamental principle that a spirit of trust pervades all aspects of student life. The spirit of this trust is one of the principle features that make Washington and Lee a unique educational institution. Students enjoy unparalleled academic and social freedom. The system is in essence one of mutual trust among students, faculty, administrators, and townspeople that persons attending Washington and Lee will not lie, cheat or steal. We do not think it too much to ask for students to do their own work, represent themselves truthfully, and claim only that which is theirs.
No violation of this trust is too small to be ignored, for we understand that honor is not measured by degree.
A student at Washington and Lee is presumed to act honorable at all times. A sense of mutual trust and respect surrounds all aspects of a studentıs life at Washington and Lee. Professors rely on the integrity of their students and expect that all work submitted is exclusively their own. All work at Washington and Lee, unless otherwise stated, is considered pledged.
Their system is completely administered by the student body, free from influence by the administration and faculty. However, Iım not sure that this is completely positive because those groups are also members of the university community.
Any student who suspects an honor violation is expected to ³confront the suspected student and ask for an explanation of the incident. Should this explanation convince the inquiring student that no honor offense exists, the matter should be dropped.² I agree that inquiry from a student is a necessary first step. Each student has a responsibility to deal with situations on his or her own before seeking outside help. Additionally each student has the right to defend and explain himself or herself before a formal inquiry is initiated. There are situations where direct questioning would adversely affect the community, but I feel in general that it is an appropriate expectation.
KSU has created an honor code that becomes effective this fall. They saw a need for one and some of their goals are:
A new honor system was developed to create a positive environment on campus that will promote the concepts of academic honesty and integrity. It is the fervent hope of the Provostıs Task Force on Academic Honesty that a new honor system would serve as the foundation for a new community of trust that will develop among members of the academic community. It is important to not, however, that a community of trust must be preserved and protected by forthright responses to act dishonesty.
The KSU honor code is:
The Kansas State University Honor System is defined by the following Honor Code:
On all course work, assignments, or examinations done by students at Kansas State University, the following pledge is either required or implied:
On my honor as a student I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this assignment.
This statement means that the student understands and has complied with the requirements of the assignment as set forth by the instructor.
The honor system is part of their judicial system, which had to be revised to include the code. This is a little unusual because most schools have separate offices to deal with this area. the spirit and language of the introduction of the honor system is not only academic; however, functionally academic breaches of honesty are the only ones that are dealt with. The faculty role isnıt very well defined and faculty expectations are not included.
The KSU website could prove useful as they go through some of the steps that they had to take to develop the code.
BYUıs honor code is extensive and interesting. It covers all areas of student life and in good spirit and with good intentions. The majority of it clearly would not apply to the Boulder campus, however parts of their general honor code statement are interesting:
General Honor Code Statement
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things (Thirteenth Article of Faith)
As a matter of personal commitment, students, staff, and faculty of Brigham Young University are expected to demonstrate in daily living on and off campus those moral virtues encompassed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and will
Be honest
Live a chaste and virtuous life
Obey the law
Use clean language
Respect others
Abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, and substance abuse.
Encourage others in their commitment to comply with the BYU Honor Code
Specific policies embodied in the Honor Code include:
Academic Honesty
Dress and Grooming Standards
Residential Living Standards
Residential Living Standards
Continuing Student Ecclesiastical Endorsement
There is little information on any of the military academy websites about actual honor codes. However, the US Air Force Academy cites the Air Force Core Values throughout the website. They are, ³Our Core Values, Integrity first, Service before self and Excellence in all we do, set the common standard for conduct across the Air Force. These values inspire the trust which provides the unbreakable bound that unifies the force. We must practice them ourselves and expect no less from those with whom we serve.² I think the atmosphere such at a military academy is that an actual statement of an honor code is unnecessary
While these are only a few of the schools with honor codes, a list of those that I have been able to locate is attached.
There are many issues that must be addressed to make the honor code effective. The code must apply to faculty and staff, and must be developed from them. To only apply something to students implies that we, as a University community, donıt really believe in the tenets that are set forth. We cannot expect our students to rise to something that our faculty and administration has not. The role of the faculty and staff must also be clearly defined. Attached is the faculty protocol for Stanford (Appendix One). If the students and faculty both know what to expect from one another, the system functions more easily.
As with any set of rules, there must be an effective and clear protocol for dealing with infractions by both students and faculty. The deadlines for each action within the process must be immediate and firm. The system needs to protect the rights of the accused and the accuser. Confidentiality is incredibly important. If the whole aim of the system is to educate, then we must give the students, especially those how violate the code, a chance to redeem themselves and learn from their behavior. Self-referral system help the university allow students to take responsibility and correct their mistakes.
What is considered ³cheating² and other violations must be clearly defined. In order to avoid a climate of fear, students must know exactly what they can and cannot do to abide by the code. Some of these definitions need to be accepted campus-wide, and some professors need to spell out what collaboration is appropriate and what is not. The faculty needs to come together with students and determine definitions. The process will not be easy, however, with department heads, deans, and students, a set of definitions needs to be agreed upon accepted.
The code needs to be developed by a group of people to whom it applies. Everyone needs to have input and everyone needs to be invested. For the system to work, students and faculty need to be shown the need for an the benefit of a code. While a committee, will do the majority of the decision making regarding the actual content of the code, student input needs to be sought.
The code needs to be something the students believe in and it needs to be enforced by the students. A student run Honor Council seems to be the best system for handling complaints and will help with the acceptance of a code. Sanctions levied by peers are often much more effective than those of administrators. This council would need to be advised by several faculty and administrators, but ultimately, the students should be trusted with that responsibility.
A recent study published in the Journal of College Student Development addressed the differences in cheating between the genders. Although the incidents of cheating among females have risen over the last few years, the motivation for cheating for females and males is different. Accordingly, an honor system that is put into place must be multi-faceted to reach both groups. Females seem to be more concerned with their personal values system, respect for others and potential sanctions. While males are somewhat concerned with respect for others, they seem unaffected by potential sanctions.
A committee should be formed to open discussions about this topic. Most of the information Iıve compiled is from the web, and it may be a good idea to contact those schools with honor codes and request the handbooks, as they are more detailed.
Once the committee was formed, a general e-mail or mailing to students detailing the reasons why weıre considering a code and asking for input would be appropriate. I feel like the initial reaction wonıt necessarily be good, so we would need to create a forum to hear concerns so we could effectively reassure them. A website would be a good idea, so that those students who are concerned, but wonıt attend a meeting, can get more information. A response form on this website, and an email address to take responses would also be appropriate. We should be prepared for an initial strong negative response.
We have recently joined The Center for Academic Integrity, which is affiliated with the Kenan Ethics Program at Duke Univeristy, Durham, North Carolina. They ³provide a forum to identify, affirm, and promote the values of academic integrity among students.² Their list of members is too extensive to include, but can be viewed at this website:
http://www.academicintegrity.org/about/institutions.html
Baylor University
Bridgewater College
Brigham Young University
Brown University
Cal Tech
Charleston, College of
Clemson Engineering School
Georgia Tech
Gettysburg College
Haverford College
Hollins
Indiana Business School
Lawerence University
Lyon
Millsaps College
Northwestern Law School
Northwestern University
Notre Dame Computer Science Dept
Princeton University
Rhodes A short Narrative
Rice: Abstracts of Actual Trials
Stanford University
University of Maryland
University of Mississippi: Engineering School
University of Richmond
University of Virginia
University of Wyoming: Center for the Advancement of Ethics (program in the Philosophy Department)
Vanderbilt University
Virginia
Washington and Lee University
Wellesley College