There is a growing epidemic at UW-Platteville, and it is nationally affecting students, instructors and staff. The subject is not the H1N1 virus. I’m referring to academic misconduct, specifically cheating and the submittal of the work or ideas of another as one’s own, original work. The words following “cheating” in the previous sentence form a reasonable definition of plagiarism.

“But everyone cheats” is a common rationalization for academic misconduct. Studies indicate that 75 percent of high school students admit to cheating in one or more courses. Studies at the university level report similar, and even higher, levels of cheating. The truth is that not everyone cheats in college coursework. The 20 to 30 percent of students who do not cheat in college coursework are students who make a different choice than those who decide to cheat. It is reported that students who score higher on tests to measure honesty, empathy and courage are much less likely to engage in cheating in their coursework. Honesty, empathy and courage are qualities that I believe a vast majority of employers of UW-P graduates are seeking. Attempting to justify a personal choice to cheat by claiming to be influenced by infamous cheaters such as former President Bill Clinton, or the Enron executives or Bernie Madoff becomes a woefully inadequate defense.

Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom.” On the other hand, and lest you think I am implying any sense of superiority, I find a lot of truth in the following quote from Sheldon Kopp. “Everyone lies, cheats, pretends (yes, you too and most certainly I myself).”

With the rapid approach of final exams and with term papers, projects, programs and other academic assignments to be completed, the fact is that a significant number of UW-P students will cheat or submit work that is plagiarized, in whole or in part, between now and Dec. 18.

In a recent conversation with an instructor, a student facing a grade of an “F” in a course due to cheating is quoted as saying, “If I had known how serious this would become, I never would have done it.” You need to know that academic misconduct is likely to result in your failure in that course. If the instructor decides to assign you a zero for the test, or paper or other assignment, I think that you should consider yourself fortunate to have some possible, if not probable, chance to pass the course.

If you think that you won’t get caught cheating on an exam or plagiarizing a term paper, the odds might be in your favor. However, is it worth the risk of failing the course? There are free software packages available to instructors that help in the detection of plagiarism. Even the existing search engines, by inserting only a few words from a passage paper, can help an instructor identify the original source of a part of your paper. The last student expelled from UW-P was responsible for plagiarizing term papers in three different courses over two semesters. A student who is expelled or suspended from UW-P is not eligible to enroll at any UW System campus while suspended or expelled. Expulsion and suspension are recorded on a student’s transcript for potential employers to consider, for admissions committees at graduate and professional schools to review and for teacher licensing agencies to weigh. Please consider the consequences if cheating or plagiarism is a part of your strategy in any coursework. Aspire to be honest, to show empathy and to have courage.

Rich Egley
UW-Platteville Dean of Students