2008 Woodie Awards
Professors crack down on cheaters
Ryan Beirne
Issue date: 12/1/05 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
According to a 2002 study conducted by the Center for Academic Integrity, more than 70 percent of college students admit to cheating in college.
Although UTC does not collect data concerning how many students admit to cheating on campus, some professors see it as a growing problem. The Internet has provided new opportunities for cheating, but it also can help professors nab a cheating student.
"I usually catch one student plagiarizing a semester," said LeeAnne Viall, an adjunct professor in the UTC English department. So far this semester, she has had four confrontations with students concerning cheating.
Professors at UTC have considerable latitude about how to deal with cheaters in classes. Some will fail the student for the assignment. Others might flunk the student for the entire course. Students have the option to agree to the teacher's terms or appeal to the UTC honor court.
The honor court is a committee composed of faculty and student members. Barbara Norwood, associate professor of nursing, is the court head. The honor court hears both sides of the issue from the student and faculty member and then makes their decision. Punishments range from a strict warning to a dismissal from the school.
"What students don't realize is that if it's easy for students to ... [cheat], it's easy for professors to check," Norwood said. "Just do the work. There are no shortcuts."
Viall agrees that catching a cheater can be very simple. "Usually whenever I find a sentence that looks suspicious, I Google it," she said. "I can find matching sentences in two or three hits and print out a copy."
After confronting the students with her proof, Viall said most confess to having cheated.
Most teachers take it upon themselves to handle confrontations with cheating rather than involve the honor court.
Paul J. Watson, head of the psychology department, said he has never used the honor court.
"My concern is to let people that get caught cheating learn from the experience," he said.
Although some students consider cheating on a test or assignment a minor act, the repercussions can have serious effects. Norwood expressed concern over a society where cheating is either accepted or ignored. "Is that really a society we want to live in, one where the people we trust our lives to have cheated their way through college?" Norwood said.
Although UTC does not collect data concerning how many students admit to cheating on campus, some professors see it as a growing problem. The Internet has provided new opportunities for cheating, but it also can help professors nab a cheating student.
"I usually catch one student plagiarizing a semester," said LeeAnne Viall, an adjunct professor in the UTC English department. So far this semester, she has had four confrontations with students concerning cheating.
Professors at UTC have considerable latitude about how to deal with cheaters in classes. Some will fail the student for the assignment. Others might flunk the student for the entire course. Students have the option to agree to the teacher's terms or appeal to the UTC honor court.
The honor court is a committee composed of faculty and student members. Barbara Norwood, associate professor of nursing, is the court head. The honor court hears both sides of the issue from the student and faculty member and then makes their decision. Punishments range from a strict warning to a dismissal from the school.
"What students don't realize is that if it's easy for students to ... [cheat], it's easy for professors to check," Norwood said. "Just do the work. There are no shortcuts."
Viall agrees that catching a cheater can be very simple. "Usually whenever I find a sentence that looks suspicious, I Google it," she said. "I can find matching sentences in two or three hits and print out a copy."
After confronting the students with her proof, Viall said most confess to having cheated.
Most teachers take it upon themselves to handle confrontations with cheating rather than involve the honor court.
Paul J. Watson, head of the psychology department, said he has never used the honor court.
"My concern is to let people that get caught cheating learn from the experience," he said.
Although some students consider cheating on a test or assignment a minor act, the repercussions can have serious effects. Norwood expressed concern over a society where cheating is either accepted or ignored. "Is that really a society we want to live in, one where the people we trust our lives to have cheated their way through college?" Norwood said.
