The Integrity Blog explores timely issues regarding honesty, responsibility, and fairness in academic settings. Every day institutions of higher education face ethical and moral challenges. This blog both acknowledges the current environment and offers students an opportunity to discuss these dilemmas in an effort to promote integrity here at the University at Buffalo.
Written by Kyrah Milfort, Student Integrity Ambassador
It’s finals week and the pressure is piling on. Assignments are due, and time seems to be moving at the speed of light, but that doesn’t mean you have to be stressed! Your mental health should be your priority! There are plenty of healthy habits and things you can incorporate into your daily routine to keep yourself motivated. We know this can be a stressful time for most people, so here’s three stress relieving apps you can use on your phone to improve your mental health during finals!
1) BALANCE: MEDITATION & SLEEP: This app is an essential tool in anyone’s arsenal, because it helps to focus the mind, and keep you present. The app contains many guided meditation exercises that could help you achieve your goals such as better sleep, feeling happier, or increasing your focus. All of the exercises are catered to you and your needs! For a limited time only you can use all premium features of the app for free for a YEAR!
2) FABULOUS: DAILY HABIT TRACKER: This app will keep you motivated by making your daily routines fun! In the app you can create personalized daily routines to incorporate all the aspects of your life that are important to you, especially down to the smallest detail. For example, you could schedule in your showers and the app will remind you about it and even offer a choice of calming music to make your showers and daily activities more enjoyable! It’s a great way to romanticize your life during finals and keep you motivated!
3) MONUMENT VALLEY: There is no kind of stress relieving activity like solving a puzzle! Monument Valley makes puzzle solving so calming and relaxing to the mind. Follow Ida, their main character, as she navigates “monuments” and teaches you calming life lessons along the way! Relax your mind as you test your abilities to think creatively outside the “box!”
These stress relieving activities are all so relaxing, but remember they aren’t a cure all! You need to remember to prioritize yourself and your mental well-being. Be sure to remain rested and hydrated, and be patient with yourself as you navigate finals!
Written by Vanesa Rodriguez, Student Integrity Ambassador
Have you seen our Student Integrity Ambassadors around campus and wondered what the position is? Student Integrity Ambassadors are volunteers for the Office of Academic Integrity volunteering 5 hours a week on average and gaining skills for their future! Below are things you will gain as a Student Integrity Ambassador if you choose to apply.
1) Build your interpersonal soft skills: As a Student Integrity Ambassador, you’ll have the opportunity to give presentations about the importance of academic integrity to various classes throughout the semester, which can benefit you academically and professionally. Many classes, no matter your major, include presentations and many jobs value public speaking skills. You’ll be able to speak about academic integrity while also building your soft skills.
2) Interested in Marketing and Outreach? Here’s a good start!: Being a Student Integrity Ambassador is a great way to start building marketing skills. You’ll have the opportunity to be involved with graphic design for event fliers and gain outreach skills through tabling and event planning throughout the academic year as well as writing blog posts.
3) Learn more about integrity and educate those around you: As a volunteer for the Office of Academic Integrity, you will learn all there is to learn about integrity and its importance. You are the Office’s representation within the student body so it is important that you uphold the University’s Academic Integrity standards and educate those around you, including you friends and classmates! There are a lot of opportunities for you to reach the student body. The Office of Academic Integrity hosts a range of events throughout the year that you would be able to help with. They include syllabus reading nights, International Day of Action, stress relief nights and tabling events.
If any of the above sound interesting to you then being a Student Integrity Ambassador may be the position for you! The Office of Academic Integrity will be accepting applications for Student Integrity Ambassadors for the 2023-2024 academic year beginning in February 2023 and closing on March 31, 2023 so make sure to be on the lookout for it! If you have any questions about the position please reach out to our Ambassador Coordinator and Graduate Assistant, Maria Disorbo, at prov.mariadis@provost.buffalo.edu.
Written by Aditi Patel, Student Integrity Ambassador
Eight people were arrested in Miami for cheating on their elevator repair certification exam.
That's right, you read that correctly…eight people were actually taken by legal authorities and into custody because they were caught cheating.
Miami-Dade county ordered the arrest for the eight people who paid others to take their online elevator repair certification exam. They were charged with cheating and fraud under the Florida law that says, “Whoever is convicted of any gross fraud or cheat at common law shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree.” This is an appalling story to hear because it is the first time anyone in the United States has ever been arrested regarding cheating on an exam.
Now, you may be wondering, “Why should I care about some random people in Florida who got caught cheating?”
While this story may not affect us directly, it should be in the back of our minds.
Just imagine what would happen if you went on an elevator and it was to break down because the people who repaired it had no idea what they were doing since they cheated to get their certification. Imagine if a doctor had scammed their way through medical school, or if a pilot does not know how to fly an airplane. Now imagine what would happen if everyone in each different profession were to do the same. Do you think our society would be able to survive?
It really takes into perspective that academic dishonesty - specifically cheating - isn’t only important when you are in school. We have always been told at an early age to perform in our studies in an honest manner - to always use citations, never plagiarize, or never to copy someone’s work. However, what we tend to forget is that these habits do not end once we graduate from school. Maintaining academic integrity is important in our studies but also incredibly important outside in the workplace, no matter what profession you are in. The real world also relies on everyone to behave in an honest manner and there are real life implications for those who do not follow through with this. It is also crucial to understand that when you are dishonest, you not only jeopardize your own education or career, but also those around you.
With the semester coming to an end, this would be a great time to reference the Academic Integrity policy to understand the ways to stay out of trouble. There are also many resources that are offered by our office to help maintain your integrity at UB. Some tips include attending classes on a regular basis, planning a study schedule, organizing your deadlines, managing your stress, and so much more! Join us at our upcoming Stress Relief Night on Thursday, December 1, 2022, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. in Davis 101. We will be handing out freebies and making coasters for your coffee (while supplies last)!
Remember, it is never too late to begin your integrity journey. Academic integrity is something that will follow you throughout your entire life, so it is important to maintain these habits to ensure a successful future not only at UB but also out in the real world!
References
The Cheat Sheet. “Eight Arrested in Miami for Cheating on Certification Exam.” Eight Arrested in Miami for Cheating on Certification Exam, The Cheat Sheet, 10 Nov. 2022, https://thecheatsheet.substack.com/p/eight-arrested-in-miami-for-cheating?utm_source=substack&%3Butm_medium=email.
Written by Xinyi Zheng, Student Integrity Ambassador
Fall recess is around the corner, which means finals are approaching faster than it seems—having trouble balancing school and work? No time for personal life? Submitting work right before it’s due? We get it, but you are almost there, so let’s finish the semester strong by using some FREE apps and resources to help you stay organized!
Google Keep/Google Tasks: Google Keep allows you to jot down notes/reminders and make lists. Feel free to set a title for each note, color-code it, and change the design to your liking. Just like its name, Google Tasks helps you organize tasks and deadlines because it is designed like a to-do list that also allows you to add specific dates and times. Both tools let you check off each box and give you a list of completed items at the end.
Google sheets: Make a master to-do list for the semester. Simply list all the assignment deadlines and midterms by date and edit them as you move through the progress till you have fully completed the assignment. For students that prefer focusing on one task at a time, this may be a good way for you to feel a sense of accomplishment when checking off each box and moving on to the next row.
Notion: There are many ways for you to customize the pages and layouts in Notion based on your needs and styles. Everything we have talked about above applies to Notion as well. You can create a daily/weekly/monthly planner, a master to-do list, or goals you want to achieve, whether it’s academically or personally. The more organized you are, the less stress you will have, and this may even increase your productivity on academic stuff as a student. Insert a quote to motivate yourself, be creative and add pictures, or create different pages for you to balance between school and personal life (Schedule the time you want to spend on working assignments and see if you can fit in a little break in between for self-care). Remember to balance and prioritize because Notion is to help you stay organized and eliminate wasting time, not making you busier and more stressed. There are many videos on Notion setups and tutorials on YouTube, some of the YouTubers even include free templates for people to use.
Stickies: To all Macbook users, the built-in application Stickies may be one of the useful tools for you when it comes to organizing your to-do list for the day or week (Shortcut: command + space bar and search Stickies). Create notes for daily checklists or multiple notes for weekly tasks, you can open and collapse each sticky note according to the day of the week you are in, so you are not overwhelmed with all your tasks, but can easily access it on the screen. For example, Stickies have different colors available, utilize them by differentiating between school, work, and personal life or assign colors to each weekday.
Printable weekly/monthly calendars: For those who prefer a physical copy over a digital one, don’t let your printing dollars go to waste. Search for free printable calendars on google or on Instagram to check out some of the study accounts that let you use their printable calendars or others for free. You can even make one yourself (For tablet users, download and bring it with you everywhere).
These tools are all customizable depending on how you want them to be, but the main point is to help you stay organized with everything. Think about how proud you will be after checking all those boxes or the joy of seeing all assignments crossed off on your to-do list. Everyone is different when it comes to organizing, just because one method works for someone else doesn't mean it works for everyone. These resources allow you to better organize and balance between tasks, and if one doesn't work, try another!
Written by Tyler Gross, Graduate Assistant
The 7th annual International Day of Action Against Contract Cheating (IDoA), organized by the International Center for Academic Integrity, will take place on Wednesday, October 19th (ICAI, 2022). Contract cheating is the act of having your academic work completed by an individual other than yourself. This can include having friends or family complete your work, paying someone online to complete academic work on your behalf, or paying someone to take an exam for you (ICAI, 2022). Contract cheating, like other forms of academic dishonesty, can have negative consequences on the individual, their peers, the professor, and the university as a whole. The goal of IDoA is to inform individuals about what contract cheating is, how to prevent it on your campus, and educate students about the negative impacts contract cheating can have on their academic and professional career as well as spread awareness around academic integrity overall. The event is organized by volunteer groups, which include faculty from eleven countries and students from seven countries (ICAI, 2022). This year’s IDoA theme is Addressing Contract Cheating and Beyond in the New Learning Environment and includes a Student TikTok Contest in which students from all over the world will create reels generating ideas on how students and professors can promote academic integrity (ICAI, 2022). IDoA will be celebrated by campuses from around the world, including the University at Buffalo! The Office of Academic Integrity will be hosting tabling events in the Student Union on North Campus and Diefendorf Hall on South Campus from 10am – 3pm on Wednesday, October 19. Stop by either of the tables to sign an academic integrity pledge board, meet our Student Ambassadors, and collect some UB swag!
IDOA International Day of Action Against Contract Cheating (academicintegrity.org)
Written by Grace Verweire, Student Integrity Ambassador
It’s your first day at university and suddenly, you’re in possession of several single-spaced pages of information that your professor has provided. This foreign material may prove to be intimidating to new students, especially if you’re a freshman that has never encountered a syllabus before. What you might not know is that this particular piece of paper(s) may be your ticket to success throughout your college career.
The purpose of the syllabus is to inform students about the content and structure of the course that they are taking. The syllabus can include academic information as well as a list or lists of resources available on campus that can aid in your academic success. Some of these resources include the Accessibility Resources Department, the Office of Academic Integrity, and the Center for Excellence in Writing.
Arguably the most important thing on the syllabus is the course outline. Here, you will usually find a calendar of sorts that details the assignments and expectations for learning and understanding throughout the semester. A common mistake that students make is that after their first day of classes, they tuck their syllabus away, never to be seen again. Don’t be that student! Keep your syllabi on hand at all times, and if you happen to lose it, it is usually posted on UBLearns or a copy can be sent to you from your instructor.
While the syllabus is important, what’s even more important is the information you take away from the syllabus. Being handed an outline of all the work that will be due throughout the course builds the foundation for success. If you choose not to build upon this foundation, you may have trouble getting ahead.
It’s extremely important to have a planner throughout your college career! Whether it’s on paper or a digital entity, it is a vital and necessary tool to all students, everywhere. The syllabus and the planner go hand-in-hand. Using your syllabi to fill out the planner is usually the best route to take in terms of being prepared for the semester. If you’re struggling with planning out your deadlines, there are many resources available to help you, including your academic advisor.
The syllabi are a great way to test the university waters. The process of planning can create an efficient mindset that can stick with you throughout your education. Building these habits now can produce beneficial results for anyone, anywhere, at any time. You never know when these skills will come in handy one day!
Below is a link to a list of resources available to you at UB that are included in your tuition:
Written by Unnati Agarwal, Student Integrity Ambassador
As university begins, all students set their goals for the semester, with the most common one being “getting a good GPA”. Here are a few tips and strategies to help achieve your academic goals.
Following these tips and strategies and a healthy routine can bring you one step closer to achieving your academic goals. Below is the link for helpful resources on campus that are available to all UB students.
LINK TO ACADEMIC RESOURCES: https://www.buffalo.edu/studentsuccess/resources.html
Written by Maria Disorbo, Graduate Assistant
With the excitement and anticipation of what this semester will bring, there is always that feeling of doubt and being overwhelmed. For some of us this is our first time ever stepping foot in a college class. Many of us are away from home and on our own for the first time ever. How scary! Not for long. Breathe. You will find your groove. You will make friends. And with the tips offered here here, you will start off right and succeed this semester and the rest to come.
What do you mean they don’t take attendance? What do you mean I’m not in class from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. everyday? I’m responsible for asking for help if I am struggling instead of waiting for my teacher to approach me? Yes, there is a lot that is different moving from High School to College. Follow these tips to help make this transition just a bit easier.
Everyone at UB wants you to succeed! If you’re looking for any other resources that may help you throughout the semester, you can refer to the Office of Academic Integrity’s student resources. All of these tips will help you achieve with integrity here at UB. Check out some more resources by following these links:
● 8 Tips for Students Starting College, ThoughtCo.
● Helpful Hints to Maintain Academic Integrity, Brandeis University
● Common Misconceptions Video, University at Buffalo Office of Academic Integrity
Written by Grace VerWeire, Student Integrity Ambassador
Picture this:
It’s 10:30 PM before the midnight due date. You open the assignment - it’s an essay. After staring at the prompt on the screen until your eyes hurt, you take out a pen and begin furiously scribbling. Concepts. Ideas. Details. The barrage of endless relevant information before you becomes a thesis tsunami; everything connects somehow. At 11:45 PM, you slowly enter the final period in your conclusion paragraph, and breathe a sigh of relief. As you upload your finished product, something catches your attention:
“Must cite at least five sources in APA format for full credit.”
You quickly reopen the assignment in Google Drive. You open the UB Library Database. You enter some key words, pick the first three sources, and begin rapidly skimming for any relevant information. You pull several quotes that may or may not have to do with your thesis, using copy and paste. At 11:55 PM, You slap some quotes around them, copy the URL of the source, paste it under the last page titled “References,” and turn in the assignment with sixty seconds to spare. Three days later, you have an email from the Office of Academic Integrity. You have committed plagiarism.
Professional writing can be a real drag when it comes to citing your sources, but citing sources properly is one of the most important steps towards getting a good grade, getting published, or even just writing in general. When you cite your sources properly, you are not only respecting and paying tribute to those whose information you used, but you are also potentially avoiding a violation of policy, or worse, a lawsuit. Plagiarism is a form of theft. When you use another person’s research or information without crediting them, you are stealing hours and hours of hard work and by putting your name at the top of the page you are, quite literally, calling it your own. Even if you don’t intend to steal someone’s work; even if it is just a small homework assignment for a class that isn’t going to be published anywhere; even if it is just a sentence - it’s plagiarism, and it’s illegal.
It takes a lot of work, time, and skill in order to master citations, and there isn’t much wiggle room when it comes to errors. However, plagiarism is a completely avoidable mistake. In order to tackle this issue, you should familiarize yourself with the multiple forms of citations. Then, you should practice with each form of citation, and reach out for help if you need it. There are multiple resources available on campus for free that provide assistance when it comes to citations and citation forms, no matter what type of help you may need. The Center for Excellence in Writing and the Office of Academic Integrity are great places to start when you need help with citing your work, and they are completely accessible to all students on campus when needed.
This article will walk you through creating common citations in MLA and APA format - the two most common academic writing citation formats. Examples will be presented, and the format will be explained below each example.
Now let’s jump into the formats:
APA
APA stands for the American Psychological Association. It is most commonly used to cite sources when writing in the social or behavioral sciences. It has seven editions and many professors accept this form of citation.
Citing in-text:
“I want to know that I earned my degree honestly.” (VerWeire, 2021)
(Last name of author, year of publication)
References:
- Website
Verweire, G. (2021). Office of Academic Integrity. University at Buffalo. Retrieved 10 March 2022, from https://www.buffalo.edu/academic-integrity.html.
Author last name, first initial. (Year of publication). Page title. Website name. Retrieved (date retrieved), from (URL).
- Article
Sefcik, L., Striepe, M., & Yorke, J. (2020). Mapping the landscape of academic integrity education programs: what approaches are effective?. Assessment & Evaluation In Higher Education, 45(1), 30-43. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2019.1604942
Author last name, first initial. (Year of publication). Article title. Journal name, volume number(issue number), pages used. URL.
- Book
Bertram Gallant, T. (2008). Academic integrity in the twenty-first century: a teaching and learning imperative (5th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Author last name, first initial. (Year of publication). Book title. (Edition ed.). Publisher.
MLA
MLA stands for Modern Language Association. It is used most commonly in the humanities and literature. Almost all professors accept this form of citation. There are nine editions.
Citing in-text:
- Website/Book
“I want to know that I earned my degree honestly.” (VerWeire)
(Last name of author)
- Article
“I want to know that I earned my degree honestly.” (VerWeire et al.)
(Last name of author, et al.)
References:
- Website
Verweire, Grace. "Office Of Academic Integrity". University at Buffalo, 2021, https://www.buffalo.edu/academic-integrity.html.
Author last name, author first name. “Page title”. Website name, year of publication, URL.
- Article
Sefcik, Lesley et al. "Mapping The Landscape Of Academic Integrity Education Programs: What Approaches Are Effective?". Assessment & Evaluation In Higher Education, vol 45, no. 1, 2020, pp. 30-43. Routledge, https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2019.1604942. Accessed 10 Mar 2022.
Author last name, author first name et al. “Article title”. Journal, vol (volume number), no. (edition number), year of publication, pp. (pages used). Database name, URL.
- Book
Bertram Gallant, Tricia. Academic Integrity In The Twenty-First Century: A Teaching And Learning Imperative. 5th ed., Jossey-Bass, 2008.
Author last name, author first name. Book title. (number of edition) ed., publisher, year published.
Now picture this:
It’s three days before the deadline. You open the assignment in Blackboard, and read it from top to bottom, twice. It’s an essay requiring five sources or more in APA format. You form a thesis surrounding the question in the assignment. Using keywords from your thesis, you use the UB Library Database to find relevant sources. You take the time to thoughtfully read the sources, enhancing your understanding of the content. You find quotes to bolster up your thesis and type them out, careful to put them in quotations when directly quoting, and cautious to include the in-text citation. The information before you becomes a flowing river of facts and supporting evidence, much different from the tsunami prior. You create a references section chock-full of sources - six, to be exact - and the last page of your paper becomes a masterpiece of APA formatting. With days to spare, you stop in at the Center for Excellence in Writing to make sure that your paper receives a peer review. Three days later, you receive an A, and you think to yourself:
“Worth it.”
Sources (cited in APA 7th edition format):
Bertram Gallant, T. (2008). Academic integrity in the twenty-first century: a teaching and learning imperative (5th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Sefcik, L., Striepe, M., & Yorke, J. (2020). Mapping the landscape of academic integrity education programs: what approaches are effective?. Assessment & Evaluation In Higher Education, 45(1), 30-43. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2019.1604942
Purdue Writing Lab. (2022). APA Style Introduction. Retrieved 10 March 2022, from
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html
VerWeire, G. (2021). Office of Academic Integrity. University at Buffalo. Retrieved 10 March 2022, from https://www.buffalo.edu/academic-integrity.html.
Written by Grace VerWeire, Student Integrity Ambassador
Edited by Jeremy Raymore, Graduate Assistant
The beginning of the semester has surely come to an end as we enter our sixth week of the academic year! Fortunately for some, this means getting into a routine and building a schedule that can help them stay on track. However, it can be hard and sometimes even seem impossible for some students to come up with a comprehensive plan or schedule for the semester. It can be a daunting task: sitting down, pulling up countless emails, syllabi, and to-do lists of homework assignments and exams. Sometimes, this can lead students to become disorganized and miss out on important deadlines. The path of procrastination can lead students down a path of academic dishonesty as well.
When a student is faced with the challenge of a rapidly approaching deadline, sometimes it can seem tempting to text a friend and ask for their homework answers or even purchase the assignment online. But one thing that students who fall victim to this behavior forget is the consequences that can follow it. Although it may seem harmless to copy a few answers from a friend, the truth is that you miss out on the practice that you need in order to achieve an honest degree. Your professors assign homework and readings in order to prepare you for not only upcoming classes, but your future career. Missing out on this preparation can be detrimental to your future. Also, by submitting someone else’s work, you’re not only putting yourself at risk of getting sanctioned, but your friend as well.
Here are a few personal habits you can practice to protect yourself from ending up in these situations and maintain your personal integrity:
There are many other ways to reduce the chances of you ending up in a situation where academic dishonesty could be at play. By staying organized, focused, and level-headed, anything is possible in your academic career. Remember, honesty is always the best policy! If you are facing burnout, communicate with your professors and see if together you can make a plan to get back on your feet with integrity.
Check out the Office of Academic Integrity’s student resources page for resources to help you stay on top of your studies, or take a look at the following external resources:
Kennedy Alexis, Graduate Student, Urban Planning, Class of 2021
So, it’s officially been a year since COVID-19 impacted the academic experience of us all. The transition to virtual learning caused us all lots of stress including Zoom fatigue, decreased privacy from living back at home with family, and the overall feeling of having no outlet to relax and de-stress because the spaces, once available to us, have all been closed. Like many of you, the stress and overload by our circumstances has left me feeling overwhelmed at times. I often felt depressed or anxious, and would question my path, as life wasn’t the same anymore. As the graduate assistant in the Office of Academic Integrity, I saw how this impacted the academic choices of many students at UB. Students did not know how to manage their feelings and often experienced difficulty accessing and expressing their needs for help to professors and teaching assistants. This led many students to use unacceptable resources for class assistance and/or participate in class group chats, both of which caused numerous instances of cheating over the past two semesters. In this post, I want to talk, not about cheating, but about what we should do in times where we experience adversity during our academic careers.
A tool that I’ve adopted during the pandemic to combat stress and overload is mindfulness. Mindfulness is the state of being aware or conscious of something. It is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us (mindful.org, 2020). Research shows that “mindfulness practice decreases stress and anxiety, increases attention, improves interpersonal relationships, [and] strengthens compassion” for students (Mindfulness Schools, 2021). An example of where mindfulness can be helpful would be when you’re stressed during finals week. The back-to-back exams and projects that is finals week can make us feel overwhelmed and anxious; mindfulness can help us take deep breaths and develop perspective to calm our busy minds. For example, through mindfulness one may learn that the pressure to receive an A on an exam is what’s causing them stress. Through further practice a student may realize that an A on the exam is not a representation of their intellectual abilities, because their abilities were shown throughout the entire semester. This realization can help calm the mind of a very anxious student.
In the Office of Academic Integrity, we understand that the role of a college student is inherently very stressful as students have to manage classes, stay involved in campus activities, and participate in work experiences. Although life may be stressful, committing acts of academic dishonesty is never the best solution for dealing with stress. In actuality, getting caught cheating adds another layer of stress and always leads to more serious consequences than doing poorly on one assignment. We want students to know there are free resources available to help them deal with stress; one resource is UB’s Counseling Services. The Counseling Services department offers self-help resources that teach students strategies for relaxation and de-stressing. UB’s Student Life Gateway is another resource which offers stress management and prevention resources to students. Lastly, the Graduate School has compiled a list of health and wellness resources, both on- and off-campus. For the rest of the semester, I challenge students to practice mindfulness, breathe, and do their best, especially in times of adversity.
“What Is Mindfulness?” Mindful, 8 July 2020, https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness.
“Research on Mindfulness.” Mindful Schools, 26 Aug. 2019, https://www.mindfulschools.org/about-mindfulness/research-on-mindfulness.
Kennedy Alexis, Graduate Student, Urban Planning, Class of 2021
On Sept. 3, 2020, William & Mary College published a letter announcing that the college will be cutting seven athletic programs after the 2020-21 academic year. In this letter, William & Mary explains that the costs associated with sponsoring these Division I programs have grown dramatically over time and have become unsustainable. The letter further explains that the COVID-19 pandemic “has made [the] budget constraints acute and has brought [the university] to a point of reckoning” (William and Mary, 2020). Many universities across the United States took similar approaches to alleviating their increased financial burdens inflicted upon them due to the Coronavirus. This is not what brought William and Mary College to media headlines; it was that many sections of this letter were found to be plagiarized from an announcement made by Stanford University on July 8 about cutting 11 of their teams. Braden Keith from swimsman.com released images that highlight obvious parallels between the two documents.
In her Sept. 18, 2020, statement, Athletic Director Samantha Huge stated that it was her staff’s goal to “emulate best practices, not imitate” and that they “should have taken more care with the review of the materials shared”. The William & Mary Honor Code defines plagiarism as the “the presentation, with intent to deceive, or with disregard for proper scholarly procedures of a significant scope, of any information, ideas or phrasing of another as if they were one’s own without giving appropriate credit to the original source.” Following this definition, it is a bit difficult to understand that their goal was to emulate best practices when no credit was given to the institution whose best practices they were emulating. Huge, who holds a Juris Doctorate from Campbell University, has stopped working at William & Mary since October, but in her departure, she left a negative impact on the William & Mary reputation and her own.
As a student, the policies regarding academic integrity often feel biased as there are many formal processes that keep students accountable for their acts of academic misconduct, but very little or no processes that keep professors or administrators accountable for their actions. Students too often feel the consequences of academic punishment and to some extent it is warranted, as we are the ones preparing for our careers; but where is the accountability for professors and administrators who are in their careers? I think the William & Mary case shows us that there is a need for processes that also hold professors and administrators accountable. It seems that one stepping down from their position is the standard repercussion, but where is the lesson learned? At UB, students go through remediation to learn from their mistakes and understand how their acts of academic misconduct affect different people in their lives. When Samantha Huge stepped down, did she learn how her actions may have impacted students? I highly doubt it.
When students see acts of academic misconduct performed by professors and administrators it makes it difficult to create a culture of academic integrity on campus because these actions confirm the “everyone does it” phenomenon. “Everyone does it” is a common reason for cheating reported by students. Under normal circumstances, maintaining academic integrity when one sees their classmates cheating is difficult, but this William and Mary case could make it even more difficult for students. Imagine being a student that is struggling with an English assignment and is constantly pressured by their parents to receive high grades. After reading the article, one may consider that cheating or plagiarism is OK, because a school’s administrator did it, and many more may have also done it. For this reason, professors and administrators should all join the effort to create a culture of academic integrity on college campuses, not just as enforcers of policies, but also as followers. If academic integrity were more transparent and held all parties accountable, students would probably be more willing to abide by academic integrity policies because the standards are shared by all members of the academic campus.
Amid financial concerns, W&M to discontinue seven sports following the 2020-21 academic year. (n.d.). William & Mary. Retrieved November 16, 2020, from https://www.wm.edu/news/stories/2020/amid-financial-concerns,-wm-to-discontinue-seven-sports-following-the-2020-21-academic-year.php
Statement regarding communications about the future of Division I athletics at William & Mary. (n.d.). William & Mary. Retrieved November 16, 2020, from https://www.wm.edu/news/announcements/2020/statement-regarding-communications-about-the-future-of-division-i-athletics-at-william-mary.php
Section VI: Honor Code Violations. (n.d.). William & Mary. Retrieved November 16, 2020, from https://www.wm.edu/offices/deanofstudents/services/communityvalues/studenthandbook/honor_system/section_VI/index.php
