Mr. Thomas Dunn
Student Senate President
Dear Mr. Dunn:
I am a junior studying
Communications and Public Relations. I am writing to you to propose a revision
of the existing Academic Dishonesty policy at Shippensburg University
I have reviewed the Dishonesty
Policy in the student handbook, the Swataney. Our current policy seems to be
that of the Stone Age in comparison to both our neighboring state schools and
nationwide colleges and universities. I found no equivalent in Shippensburg’s
Dishonesty Policy when comparing it to other schools academic integrity
policies. We lack a traditional honors code to begin with. Now that
others have modified honor codes, Shippensburg is left in the
dust.
You may contact me with any questions
or comments in regard to my proposal.
Sincerely,
Beth Weyer
717-658-3861
Contents
Executive Summary:
Proposal to Revise the Academic Dishonesty Policy
at Shippensburg University 1
What’s An Honors Code?
Traditional Codes vs. Modified Codes 2
Involving Students 3
What Are Other Schools Doing?
Ceremonies; Pep-rallies; Seminars 3
Anti-Plagiarism Software 4
Conclusion 4
Executive Summary:
Proposal to Revise the Academic Dishonesty Policy
at Shippensburg
University
A college campus
with a traditional honors code relies
on un-proctored tests and exams to give students the responsibility for
reporting cheating. (Resolving Allegations of Academic Dishonesty, McCabe and
Makowski)
A modified
honors code “lacks such traditional elements as un-proctored exams and a
non-toleration clause, it mandates a major student role in the judicial
system.” (Change McCabe and Pavela)
It is my
understanding that Shippensburg
University Shippensburg University
Whether or not
traditional or modified codes are followed as examples, an approach at revising
the university’s Academic Dishonesty policy must be done so with the efforts of
faculty, administrators, and students. For all three have different needs and
standpoints.
Approaching the
student senate is the first step. With their support, the need for an honors
code, in which students have a meaningful voice, will be taken seriously by the
administrators they correspond with.
What’s An Honors Code?
An honors code
is a policy put in place at a college or university to make students aware of
rules in regard to plagiarism, cheating, etc. These policies vary in length. In
my opinion, the lengthier a policy is on paper, the more numerous violations have
occurred at that university in the past.
A policy most
likely lists violations and provides examples of actions that are unacceptable.
It might include
the processes of a hearing if allegations of academic dishonesty occur as well
as the consequences one must face when proven guilty.
· Traditional
Codes vs. Modified Codes
Traditional
codes often mandate un-proctored exams, a judicial process over which students
have majority or complete control, and a written pledge requiring students to
affirm they have completed their work honestly. Many traditional codes also
place some level of obligation on students to report incidents of cheating they
may observe among their peers. (Honesty and Honor Codes, McCabe)
Indiana University of Pennsylvania, for example, has a traditional
academic integrity policy in effect where students are encouraged to report
violations of the policy to a university official. (IUP handbook, The Source)
Modified honor codes are a more recent innovation. These policies have
eliminated un-proctored exams. They encourage student involvement and place
more responsibility on students in promoting academic integrity. The goal is to
develop a sense of community and form a common attitude that academic
dishonesty is unacceptable. (Honesty and Honor Codes, McCabe) Another advance
is having students participate on the judicial hearing boards to better
represent a student’s perspective and offer them a sense of fairness.
Involving Students
A minimum objective of increasing
the level of student involvement and participation should be made. For example,
students should act as members on hearing boards responsible for resolving
allegations of academic dishonesty.
In a study
observing over two thousand students on twenty one campuses in 1999, more
student involvement seemed to encourage students to accept great responsibility
for their behavior and appear to be associated with lower levels of
self-reported cheating. (Honesty and Honor Codes, McCabe)
In survey findings, 45 percent of students
on campuses with no honor code admitted to one or more incidents of cheating.
On campuses with a modified code, 29 percent reported themselves as cheating
and 25 percent on campuses with traditional academic codes.
What Are Other
Schools Doing?
· Ceremonies; Pep-rallies; Seminars
Rituals and ceremonies
are being used by schools to generate student commitment to their honor codes. Vanderbilt University
· Anti-Plagiarism Software
Though expensive, one strategy that
has been used by thousands of schools is a service at turnitin.com. Students’
papers are submitted and checked against a large database of internet websites,
published works, electronic books, and other student papers. (Academic
Dishonesty: A New Twist to an Old Problem Johnson, Martin.)
A faculty member subscribing to
this service receives a report that underlines and color codes any matches to
plagiarized text found in the database.
Conclusion
In order to keep up with the times,
our school needs to update our academic policy.
One solution I find would be
effective based on research is to involve students in designing and enforcing
standards of academic integrity. Students should be involved in the honors
codes inception by being members on committees who help create it
Perhaps Shippensburg hasn’t had
problems in the past with its Dishonesty Policy, but it’s only a matter of time
as plagiarism and cheating are on the rise all around us.
Bibliography
Academic Dishonesty: A New Twist to an Old Problem. By Susan A. Johnson, Malissa Martin. (Found on
Ebscohost through the Shippensburg University
The Source, IUP Student Handbook 2005-2006, Academic
Integrity Policy and Procedures.
(Found online at www.iup.edu/students under Academic
Integrity link.)
Copyright in the Classroom. By Neil Ralston. From Quill Magazine July/August 2001. (Found through
a search at www.infotrac-college.com.)
Honesty and Honor Codes. By Donald McCabe. Academe, January/February 2002, Vol. 88. Found
online through Shippensburg University
Library Homepage in Academic Search
Premiere Database.)
Resolving Allegations Of Academic Dishonesty: Is There a Role
for Students to Play? By Donald
McCabe and Andrew Makowski.
About Campus March/April 2001.
