Student Loses College Degree 15 Years after Graduation Due to Plagiarism

After a master's thesis was corrected for plagiarism and a degree awarded, it was examined by a plagiarism checker years later and more plagiarism was identified leading to a professor losing his degree ("Judge Upholds University's Right to Rescind Master's Degree over Plagiarism," Calgary Herald, September 19, 2018). John Measor tried unsuccessfully to get the University of Calgary to let him keep the degree based on the fact that it had already been given to him, so he took his case to court. However, the judge sided with the university because the "power to award degrees necessarily implies the power of rescission." Justice Richard Neufeld in his decision also noted that "institutional integrity" requires a school to uphold the value of its degrees by taking back one that incorporated academic dishonesty.

Discussion Questions:

1. Does this case change your opinion about the importance of academic integrity when you create coursework for your classes? Why or why not?
2. Do you think the university was justified in taking back the degree years after it was given due to plagiarism by the former student? Why or why not?
3. The news story mentions that John Measor also changed his story about the plagiarized thesis during the various hearings. Would you rule in his favor and let him keep the degree if he wasn't clear about what really happened? Why or why not?

Academic Dishonesty Returns to Cancer Research Lab

The Ohio State University (OSU) reported that one of its former star cancer researchers (who resigned in fall 2017) used false results fourteen times in eight reports ("University Is Quick to Disclose Misconduct." Science, April 6, 2018). Most notable about this revelation was that OSU was very forthcoming with this information almost immediately after concluding its investigation. The article mentions that OSU has been under fire for badly handling other recent scientific misconduct on campus including another cancer researcher who was the subject of a New York Times investigation.

Discussion Questions:

1. If you received millions of dollars to conduct research, would you feel obligated to report more promising results than you actually observed so you could continue to get funding? Or would you clearly state what occurred in your research? 
2. A university's reputation suffers harm and its research programs stand to lose external funding if researchers are not conducting and reporting results honestly. Do you think OSU was trying to repair damage from past incidents by reporting this story very quickly? Why or why not?
3. If you were a student researcher in a lab where misconduct was occurring, would you risk your reputation and career to report the academic dishonesty of fellow students and/or professors? Why or why not?

UT Student Punished for Seeking Copies of Old Math Exams on Facebook

A University of Texas student who went online to request copies of old math tests by a professor received a penalty ("UT Student on Academic Probation after Posting in Facebook Group." The Daily Texan, January 29, 2018). While the university administrators said that they do not monitor online student activity, they will act if they are alerted about a suspected student conduct infraction.

Discussion Questions:

1. While we do not know if the student actually received any of the requested exams and the answers to the questions, do you think it's fair that the student is put on academic probation for the act of asking for the exams? Why or why not?
2. What should happen if a student supplied old exams by a professor upon request? Should that supplier get the same punishment as the requester?
3. Do you think studying the old exams gives a student an unfair advantage in future testing? Why or why not?

Academic Dishonesty in Computer Coding Classes

Learning how to write code in a computer science class can be a ticket to a lucrative job, but professors are encountering students who turn in assignments with copied code from unauthorized sources ("As Computer Coding Classes Swell, So Does Cheating," The New York Times, March 3, 2017). Specialty software can catch copied code especially when students use substitutes for typical coding terms. One interesting idea at Harvard University was when a computer science professor added a “regret clause,” allowing those who confess to cheating "within 72 hours receive an unsatisfactory or failing grade on the assignment, and avoid further discipline — unless they do it again" and mentioned in an earlier blog post. Still some class members are unclear about how much consultation with other students, as encouraged by professors (and professional programmers), is acceptable. On one Harvard syllabus it states that "you may have your code viewed by others, but you may not view theirs."

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think about the "regret clause" where you can confess to cheating within a certain time to avoid harsh punishment?
2. How can professors make it clear what's acceptable collaboration and what isn't? Should they include a list of what you may and may not do to avoid cheating? Or should punishable offenses be obvious to students once they reach college?

Is an Academic Dishonesty Hotline a Good Idea?

Students at Purdue University can now anonymously call in academic misconduct starting this semester ("Purdue Initiates Academic Dishonesty Hotline," Purdue Exponent, August 30, 2016). According to the Associate Dean of Students, this new method for reporting is important to preserve the honor of the university and its degrees. The hotline idea emanated from the University Senate, in part, to "prevent cases rather than punish individuals" as the chairperson of that group mentioned.

Discussion Questions:

1. If you witnessed academic dishonesty, would you be more likely to report it if there was a hotline that allows anonymity? Why or why not?
2. Do you think your degree from a college or university would be viewed unfavorably if an academic dishonesty scandal occurred while you were a student, even if you weren't involved? Why or why not?
3. Do you think it's the responsibility of all students and faculty to report academic dishonesty? Why or why not?
4. Do you think an anonymous hotline can cause more problems than advantages? Why or why not?
5. Do you think the hotline will "prevent cases rather than punish individuals" as the University Senate chairperson said? Why or why not?

Should Each Professor Decide Academic Dishonesty Consequences?

A faculty committee calls for standards in academic integrity penalties ("UNR Faculty Push for Consistent Cheating Penalties," Reno Gazette-Journal, April 27, 2016). The article mentioned that a recommendation from a campus group was to have faculty report cheating issues to "an online portal" and educate professors and students on academic integrity policies. The chair of the campus group mentioned that she believes some professors do not report cheating because it is seen as a problematic process and instead impose their own punishments that can be lenient while others are harsh.

Discussion Questions:

1. The article mentions the importance of "catching students" when they first begin college classes to cut down on cheating. Do you think the article suggests that the college is mainly interested in punishing students to stop them from committing further academic dishonesty? Why or why not?
2. Do you think professors should have the right to decide penalties for cheating in their classes? Or should professors be able to choose academic dishonesty penalties only from a range of options approved by a college or university? Why or why not?
3. Do you believe that students need to be more informed on what actions are academically dishonest so they know how to avoid cheating and plagiarism? Why or why not?

Non-Prescribed Study Drugs Promote Academic Dishonesty?

Should the illegal use of prescription stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin by college students to improve studying sessions be considered as academic dishonesty ("Illegal Study Drug Use on the Rise, Not Addressed by Universities," USA Today, November 18, 2014)? The Academy of Medical Sciences in Great Britain suggested that colleges and universities should prohibit non-prescribed "academic performance-enhancing stimulants" because they are akin to athletes taking steroids to improve athletic performance.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think taking non-prescribed drugs to improve course study sessions should be considered as academically dishonest? Why or why not?
2. Although the article doesn't address the risks of taking these drugs, a CNN report mentions that they can cause "psychological and physical dependence, sleep difficulties, restlessness, headaches, irritability and depressed feelings." If more students knew about this potential harm, would they think twice about using the drugs without a prescription? Why or why not?
3. Should student use of non-prescribed stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin be treated simply as a drug offense? Why or why not?

Bogus Classes Taken by 3100 Students at UNC

A new report details the extent of University of North Carolina's academic fraud stemming from years of offering classes for which there were very few requirements needed to pass the course  ("Academic Fraud or Not, UNC Students Likely Will Keep Degrees," CNN, October 26, 2014). Some 3100 students including many athletes took these courses in the African-American studies program (AFAM) to keep their GPAs high enough for eligibility to play collegiate sports.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think it's a good idea to give students the option to confess that they committed an academically dishonest act in return for a lesser punishment? Why or why not?
2. Do you think that students should be given the option to correct a plagiarized paper in return for a lower grade instead of getting a failing grade? Why or why not?
3. Do you think students who use this "regret clause" will learn from their mistake and not commit academically dishonest acts again? Why or why not?

Harvard Softens Penalty on Cheaters If They Confess

If you feel remorse after committing an unethical act in a Harvard computer science course and report it within 72 hours, your professor may give you a lighter penalty ("CS50 Introduces New Integrity Policy, Bypassing Ad Board," The Harvard Crimson, September 26, 2014). This new punishment plan in David J. Malan's class has been dubbed the "regret clause." It is listed in his syllabus under the Academic Integrity heading at http://goo.gl/L63ayP. This option, based on a student's remorse, is outside the usual academic integrity offense case procedure that requires consultation with the university's Administrative Board and the department chair before allowing your professor to give you an "unsatisfactory or failing grade" on the assignment.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think it's a good idea to give students the option to confess that they committed an academically dishonest act in return for a lesser punishment? Why or why not?
2. Do you think that students should be given the option to correct a plagiarized paper in return for a lower grade instead of getting a failing grade? Why or why not?
3. Do you think students who use this "regret clause" will learn from their mistake and not commit academically dishonest acts again? Why or why not?

Academic Scandal with Years of Grade Changes & No-Show Classes

Hit with an indictment for academic fraud, a former University of North Carolina (UNC) professor is under fire for leading a department with a history of forged faculty signatures, unwarranted grade changes, and overly lenient class structure ("A’s for Athletes, but Charges of Fraud at North Carolina," The New York Times, December 31, 2013).

Although Dr. Julius Nyang’oro left his position in 2012, he is accused of accepting $12,000 for a course he never taught. That course, AFAM 280 in the department of African and Afro-American studies, was filled with North Carolina football team members. A former governor of North Carolina led an investigation into the department, discovering "problems with dozens of courses" going back as far as 1997 including what appears to be over 500 "unauthorized grade changes."

Discussion Questions:

1. Although these irregularities only involved one department at UNC, how do you think the reputation of the entire school will be affected?
2. Would you accept a grade for a class that never actually met? Why or why not?
3. Why would a once-respected educator at a noted university allow his department to become so corrupted?
4. Why did this apparent lack of academic integrity persist for so many years?

Students Who Cheat May Display Mental Illness Tendencies

Students who engage in cheating behaviors also score high in psychopathy or traits such as "erratic behaviour, manipulation, callousness and anti-social tendencies." Researchers from the University of British Columbia reported their research in the Journal of Experimental Psychology summarized in the September 12, 2010 Globe and Mail Canadian newspaper ("Cheaters Do Prosper – But Are They Psychologically Ill?," September 12, 2010). These students are more "impulsive," driven by competition, and are not affected by possible retribution for their academic misdeeds.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do professors encourage competition among students? Do you think a competitive atmosphere encourages students to cheat? Why or why not?
2. Do you think students can be taught to be academically honest once they reach college? Why or why not?

Cheating Reports at Stanford Increase Dramatically

Even though Stanford University is one of the few colleges in the U.S. that has an honor code where students pledge to be academically honest, the campus is seeing a surge in cheating cases ("Stanford Finds Cheating — Especially among Computer Science Students — on the Rise" - San Jose Mercury News, February 7, 2010). "Although computer science students represent 6.5 percent of Stanford's student body, last year those students accounted for 23 percent of the university's honor code violators." A combination of increased reporting and a rise in dishonest acts fueled the spike among undergraduates. Many of the computer science cases involved homework assignments that employed unauthorized collaboration or altering another student's code. Beyond the computer science department, most of Stanford honor code infractions centered on unsanctioned group work.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you find it surprising that Stanford students, who should be very intellectually capable since they were accepted into a prestigious school, are committing these dishonest acts? Why or why not?
2. Should collaboration be allowed in all assignments but not on tests? Why or why not?

Yale Sees Jump in Plagiarism Cases

Yale University instituted a new plagiarism policy in 2007, but greater attention to the issue has accompanied an increase in reported plagiarism cases ("Despite Policy Change, Plagiarism Cases Up" - Yale Daily News, December 4, 2009). The policy change mandates that when professors request new course approvals in undergraduate studies, they must state how they will cover the topic of plagiarism and the correct way to cite sources. Coincidentally, the number of reported academic dishonesty incidents rose from 23 in 2006-07 to 29 in 2007-08. To prevent plagiarism, one professor limits her students to source material from a particular Yale archive for an assignment. However, most professors know that the Internet makes copy-and-paste plagiarism easy to do, but electronic anti-plagiarism tools just as quickly catch such unacceptable uses of online information.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think many students know what constitutes plagiarism, but engage in it anyway? Or do you think plagiarism is not understood by most students, so they accidentally plagiarize?
2. Take a look at the seven examples of plagiarism on the Academic Integrity and Student Success brochure (PDF). Did you already know that those actions would be considered plagiarism by Lone Star College?
3. What steps do you take to prevent yourself from committing plagiarism when you prepare coursework?