The Academic Senate Instruction Committee is drafting a proposal to notate cases of cheating and academic dishonesty on transcripts.
The committee, which has met three times so far this quarter to discuss the issue, is seeking to include on transcripts the specific class and quarter in which cheating incidents occur. Currently, there is no way to distinguish an “F” for academic dishonesty from an “F” for failure to grasp the material.
The existing policy allows for the notation of academic dishonesty on a transcript only if a student cheats multiple times, and the notation does not clarify the specific class and quarter and can be removed from a transcript upon an administrator’s discretion.
David Conn, member of the committee and associate vice president for inclusive excellence and director of Ombuds Services, is currently drafting the policy. The committee hopes to finalize the proposal by the end of Spring Quarter 2010.
Upon completion, the framework will be forwarded to the Academic Senate for approval. If adopted, the new legislation will be included in the Student Rights and Responsibilities section of the Campus Administration Policies (CAP), which is currently undergoing major reform.
The committee, which met with students and faculty to discuss academic dishonesty, is additionally looking to inform students on matters of cheating and plagiarism. Committee chair, Kevin Lertwachara, said the committee discussed creating a public record of campus cheating statistics. Lertwachara also mentioned the committee is working with the library on programs that increase student understanding of plagiarism.
While academic dishonesty reform is part of the CAP overhaul, it also occurs in conjunction with a national trend of curbing cheating on university campuses. According to Student Rights and Responsibilities Coordinator, Adrienne Miller, many universities are adopting sections of the “Model Code of Academic Integrity” produced by the University of Maryland. Likewise, some universities are shifting to an “FX” grade (“F” for fail and “X” as indication of cheating). The CSU, however, prohibits “FX.”
Miller, who also met with the Instruction Committee, acknowledged the significance of notating cheating on transcripts.
“There is no way for prospective employers and graduate schools to tell who failed for academic dishonesty and who failed for failure to master the knowledge,” she said.
Some students, however, do not necessarily echo that sentiment. Tarek Halteh, an economics sophomore, is concerned that minor cheating offenses will now haunt students over the course of their academic and professional careers.
“I don’t feel it is necessary for a student to carry that stigma on and on,” Halteh said. “If someone cheats, he receives an ‘F,’ and that is consequence enough.”
While the Academic Senate moves forward in addressing cheating, it remains uncertain whether the number of academic dishonesty cases are increasing. Miller, who receives all reports of academic dishonesty, said the number of reported cases has been increasing. But that is not necessarily an indicator of more cheating on campus, due to the fact that not all cases are reported by faculty.
Sensing the delicacy of the issue, Lertwachara clarified that the Instruction Committee “doesn’t want to rush through (the process).” “Each case is unique,” he added. He “would prefer a policy that would allow each case (to be examined) on an individual basis.”
Though the committee is focused on notation of academic dishonesty, Lertwachara stressed the new policy will not remove the decision making from “the two most knowledgeable people: the faculty member involved and the Student Rights and Responsibilities (coordinator).”
The committee, which met with students and faculty to discuss academic dishonesty, is additionally looking to inform students on matters of cheating and plagiarism. Committee chair, Kevin Lertwachara, said the committee discussed creating a public record of campus cheating statistics. Lertwachara also mentioned the committee is working with the library on programs that increase student understanding of plagiarism
this policy probably won’t not prevent students from cheating. i would hope that they focus on giving students more support to prevent them from cheating in the first place, instead of focusing on ways to damage their record after the fact. their priorities aren’t the greatest it seems…
If someone cheats, It SHOULD haunt them! There is already plenty of support at Cal poly to prevent cheating. There are numerous study groups, student tutors, and teachers are generally more than happy to help a struggling student. I really don’t understand why these cheaters are not kicked out of Poly. If you are earning a C take the C and stop trying to cheat your way to an A. Grades are not supposed to all be given out with everyone getting an A. it seems more and more freshmen are completely entitled about grades and think that they’re somehow a GENIUS and heaven forbid they struggle! I’ve seen way too many of these entitled kids bitching about a class being “sooo hard” and OMG you actually have to STUDY and some people FAIL! and they’re the same ones out all weekend partying.
Nobodies saying that it shouldn’t haunt them, they get what they deserve if they cheat: to fail, but creating a policy that changes the letter grade to say that they cheated their way to a ‘zero’ is just pointless and probably not going to help prevent cheating. With the graduation rate around 60-something% and 1/3 of freshman getting on AP their first quarter- something needs to be done, and they should focus on reversing this and helping students achieve instead of focusing on things like this. I’m sure the academic senate does a lot anyways, like research on how to improve classes, but i still think the policy is just unneeded. Yes, there are tutors and study groups on campus that hardly anyone takes advantage of. why is this? maybe they should investigate why nobody is going to them and try to fix this. yes, students are lazy and irresponsible and just party, but not every student that struggles is irresponsible/doesn’t take advantage of these resources
If you need “support” to keep you from cheating, you don’t belong in college.
CSU SLO cheated its way to the top of the CSU -pfff- “academic hierarchy”, why is the administration surprised the pampered jocks are cheating? Oh, Baker you poor old fool thinking you could turn a CSU into a respected institution.
You’re an idiot.
Lertwachara also mentioned the committee is working with the library on programs that increase student understanding of plagiarism
, which has met three times so far this quarter to discuss the issue, is seeking to include on transcripts the specific class and quarter in which cheating incidents occur.
fuck the mustang daily!