By Courtney Smith
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
As colleges throughout the region prepare for final exams this week, one issue is almost always on the minds of students and professors alike: cheating.
According to a survey done by BestCollegeReviews.org, 51 percent of students admitted to cheating on an exam one or more time in the past academic year.
The survey also reported that 57 percent of respondents agreed that in the real world, successful people do what they have to do to win, even if others consider it cheating.
“You have to do what you have to do to pass,” said Towson University senior Erin Bunker.
“I don’t think anyone sets out to cheat and be dishonest,” said Towson journalism professor Jenny Atwater. “I think students back themselves in this corner because they haven’t given themselves enough time to complete the assignment.”
La Jerne Cornish, the associate provost at Goucher College, said first-semester freshmen are more likely to cheat on an exam than are older students.
“At Goucher we find that the biggest offenders are usually first-semester freshmen who usually haven’t transitioned into the way college works,” Cornish said.
Junior Danielle Athas of Towson University doesn’t consider herself a cheater, but she said she did a few things that she isn’t proud of during her freshman year.
“I would definitely agree freshmen probably cheat the most,” Athas said. “When I was a freshman I had a class that wasn’t my major and it was ridiculously hard. I literally knew nothing. The class was in a lecture hall so the seating was spaced out, I had a cheat sheet all written out and also would use my phone.”
While phone use is one major way 21st century students cheat, BestCollegeReviews.org says there are 15 other ways students cheat. This ranges from copying someone else’s homework or essay to plagiarizing large portions of text or hiring someone to take online courses or online exams for them.
Most universities have standards or conduct committees that handle academic dishonesty and dish out sanctions.
Tess Gillis, the academic integrity officer at Stevenson University, said her school has an office that tries to deter students from cheating.
“The student is notified that their professor has reported the incident and coordinator of the specific college discipline will decide on the sanction,” Gillis said. “If the student is unhappy with the decision made they can go on to appeal with the dean of the college, but at that point most students just accept their punishment.”
Goucher also has an academic honor board that consists of the chair of the board, the recording secretary, board members and faculty. At least one faculty member and four students shall serve at each hearing, not including the Honor Board chair.
“The student accused will meet in front of the board and say whether they are responsible or a not, then our board will decide on sanctions,” Cornish said.
The sanctions at Goucher range from getting a zero on the assignment to dismissal from the college.
“If you were to blatantly plagiarize that would cause a fail in the course itself, and if you are a repeat offender that is grounds for dismissal from the college,” Cornish said.
She said these consequences deter many students from cheating.
One of those students is Athas.
“Honestly if you get caught you’re done,” Athas said. “There’s a lot more at stake now. It’s not worth it.”