Sports management professor Dr. George Cunningham said he begins each semester with a lecture on plagiarism.
This is because in each of the two semesters he has taught at A&M, he said he has caught someone cheating.
“The thing that surprises me is that (students) don’t know what cheating is,” Cunningham said.
Nicole Bradford, director of the newly-formed Aggie Honor System Office, said this sort of misunderstanding is something the office hopes to change.
“We want to make students aware of academic integrity,” she said.
“We’re not setting up another police force – we’re here to educate.”
The office, a recommendation from the Academic Integrity Task Force, was formed last fall in response to high levels of cheating on campus. The force determined the levels of cheating through surveys and student reports.
“The cheating levels were as high here as the national levels,” said Martha Loudder, accounting professor and chair of the Academic Integrity Task Force. “We always thought we were better, but we have a lot of people not honoring the Aggie Code of Honor.”
The Aggie Honor System Office, located in the Academic Building, will be the first ever centralized location on A&M’s campus to deal with academic dishonesty and infractions of the Aggie Code.
The office will be responsible for keeping a record of cheating incidents and educating students on the definition and consequences of academic dishonesty.
The Aggie Code of Honor states Aggies will not “lie, cheat or steal nor tolerate those who do.”
“We want students to know the code and know their rights,” Bradford said.
The office is also responsible for organizing an honor council, effective Fall 2004. The council will consist of two undergraduates, one graduate and two faculty members from each college who will review cases of cheating and plagiarism and make a ruling.
Loudder believes that the council will play a large role in reducing academic dishonesty.
“Honor systems that include students are very successful at reducing cheating because of the peer pressure,” Loudder said.
Those found guilty of cheating will be able to either appeal the case or take a remedial program, depending on the infraction. Those who can take the program will undergo educational training about academic integrity, and the cheating violation will then be removed from their record.
The Honor Office is currently planning to hold student body elections for those interested in serving on the council.
“We just want everyone to understand that integrity is the core value of our University,” Bradford said. “And integrity is something students can take with them when they leave this University.”
Student Body President and senior accounting major Matt Josefy said he feels the office will be beneficial to students.
“I’m really excited about this office, because to me the Aggie Code is a huge part of who we are as Aggies, and sadly many Aggies have forgot what the whole code of honor is,” Josefy said.