Speeding is Okay and Cheating is Cool

Authors

Alison Schell Witte, Glenville State CollegeFollow

Date of this Version

Fall 2008

Document Type

Article

Comments

Published in Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council 9:2, Fall/Winter 2008. Copyright © 2008 by the National Collegiate Honors Council.

Abstract

Academic misbehavior occurs among all students—gifted students as well as the general student population. I believe that cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty are supported by a pattern of rationalization similar to that which supports other common but questionable social behaviors. In the following discussion, I will compare academic dishonesty with driving in excess of the speed limit and offer some comments about the pervasiveness of similar behaviors in other aspects of our lives. I wish to make the point that all of us, faculty included, probably perform some actions that violate the highest standards of behavior. Although I believe that academic dishonesty is unacceptable, I want to make a plea that faculty look to the factors underlying its existence and that they deal with student infractions temperately.