Facebook group collects old tests, quizzes

You are sitting at your computer, doing your usual Facebook updates for the day when you come across an invitation to an event: "SJU FREE OLD TESTS/HW/NOTES."

You continue reading and encounter the key points in the "More Info" section of the page, including that a database website has been created by several students at SJU and the purpose of the website is to create an online system of the old tests, quizzes, homework, and handouts from past classes at St. Joe's.

Now the question comes: Is this cheating?

The Academic Honesty Policy (AHP) at Saint Joseph's University states that "…Each student has the responsibility to submit work that is uniquely his or her own." Specific violations include: "cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information in examinations, tests, quizzes, reports, assigned papers, or special assignments…"

The problem arises in a later post on the Page stating "You don't need to stop the partying, we will do the work for you!!"

According to Joseph Corabi, Ph.D., professor of philosophy, who serves on the Academic Honesty Board, this is "really disturbing. I think it clearly undermines the entire educational process. SJU students need to do really well in order to succeed; they need certain skills. By participating in this, these students are undermining opportunities for those skills."

 His viewpoints are not unique in any regards. Kevin Campbell,'14, a Food Marketing major said, "We are at college to learn and develop our own voice while receiving an education, not to steal from others."

The main debate at hand now consists of what counts as cheating? Many students also had similar opinions.

Jennifer Cush,'12, a French and Education major, said that cheating "includes submitting work that is not your own, false or lack of citations, using the same work twice without permission, and reporting false data."

The university policy would also agree that these tasks would be in violation of the code.

However, the intent of the student presents a twist in the debate on cheating. "I think cheating is the intended action of taking someone else's work and calling it your own," said English major Jimmy Hamill,'12. "Cheating implies that you know that you are attaining information in a dishonest manner and doing it regardless. The intent behind the action makes it cheating."

According to the Academic Honesty Board Head (AHB), William McDevitt, Ph.D., "Merely telling people that ‘I have old tests, I have old notes' that ‘I will make them available to you' is not a violation currently of the AHP. However, to say ‘we will do the work for you, that is over the line."

Overall, students making available notes and tests electronically are common. The problem occurs when students take advantage of resources to not do the work, according to McDevitt.

"The policy is an attempt to document a culture of integrity throughout the university- among students faculty, administration and staff," explains Dr. McDevitt. As chairman of the Board he conducts meetings for students who appeal their claims.

The Facebook page had over 100 students "attending" and posts on the page claimed that the creators had material from a number of GER/GEP classes, as well as other classes across all disciplines.

However, Dr. McDevitt and Dr. Corabi both believe that overall, students at SJU St. Joe's are honest and that no claim was filed as far as they knowagainst the creators of the Facebook event. The statistics show that there were 73 violations reported from in (2009-2010,). This is about an approximate two percent of the entire student body. However, any offense is one too many.

While some may not know the exact definition of cheating, as laid out by the AHP, others believe the policy should be followed on principle.  "I think it tries to tell students to be honest in their work, credit those they get information from and be original. It is worded in a way to somewhat show students that they're serious and in a way scare us from cheating," said Campbell,'14.

St. Joe's is making its students constantly aware of holding true to Jesuit ideals and being honest in one's work. Many new signs have been posted in classrooms that define cheating and encourage students to avoid plagiarism. Also, according to McDevitt, the Board is discussing adding to the policy the process for students to appeal a decision of the AHB, provided that the grounds for appeal are narrowly drawn, such as the discovery of new evidence.