It’s almost easy to forget the amount of work facing a college student during the school year. With classes, extracurricular activities, social events, internships and jobs, today’s college student is challenged with prioritizing social, collegiate and professional lives.
Keeping these obligations in mind, it’s also almost easy for a college student to compromise his or her personal judgment for the sake of completing all the tasks at hand. This is where the university’s honor code comes into the picture. I think it’s fair to say almost every student has come across a situation when his or her integrity, character or ethics are put to the test. Whether this situation is inside or outside the classroom is beside the point — whether students choose to act with integrity reflects their personal character and code of ethics. Here at this university, we have a “modified” honor code, meaning students accused of and found responsible for academic dishonesty are given a chance to explain their situation to their peers before being sanctioned. The “modified” honor code is a way for students to get involved in the reporting, prevention and deterrence of academic dishonesty.
Let’s consider an example: John is having trouble finishing a paper due tomorrow. Adam, his roommate, has the same professor and has already finished the assignment. Is it ethical for Adam to help John?
Well, the answer, as you can imagine, is quite complicated. It depends on what that “help” entails.
The question is a topic for debate among the Student Honor Council and the University Student Judiciary. If John and Adam are referred to the Office of Student Conduct, they meet with office staff to discuss their roles in the case and if they believe they cheated. If they accept the accusation as true, they may be given a range of educational tools to help them understand their mistake and stop it from happening again.
Generally, a student will receive an “XF” (which indicates failure due to academic dishonesty) and will be required to complete an online, non-graded seminar. Some students are able to get the “XF” changed to an “F” after they complete the seminar, show improvement in their conduct for a year and successfully petition the Student Honor Council to have the “X” removed.
If, however, John and Adam deny cheating, or disagree with the typical sanction, the Student Honor Council adjudicates their case. The board will convene to listen to their reasoning and that of the professor who accused them. After carefully gathering and considering the facts of the case, the student board will deliberate and choose from a range of sanctions if the student is found responsible. The charges will be dismissed if the student is found not responsible.
Each case is considered individually; the board considers aggravating and mitigating circumstances. Considering the student’s situation and viewpoint is unique among universities, as we strive to understand the situation in its entirety before penalizing a student for his or her actions. For instance, if John was distraught with grief over a family member’s death, the Honor Council would certainly address this mitigating circumstance.
Now, let’s consider the results: Is it really worth the extra five points on an assignment when you could receive an “XF” on your transcript for the class? John and Adam could be haunted by this sanction during future job applications and interviews.
Cheating, fabrication, facilitation and plagiarism are all temptations that find their way into the lives of college students everywhere. The actions students take and the paths they choose to follow will speak to their character and morality, which are built over a lifetime of prioritizing and decision making.
How do you feel about the process for judging academic integrity at this university? Please leave comments or questions or contact the Education Team of the University Student Judiciary on its Facebook page (search “ICE at UMD”). For more information, please visit www.osc.umd.edu.
Caroline Murray is a sophomore biology and animal science major and a member of the University Student Judiciary. She can be reached at cmur22@terpmail.umd.edu.
