Making the Grade
Three professors team teach a 15-student graduate course (Dr.
Whelan, a tenured senior faculty member, and Dr. Jihvraj and Dr.
Brady, two junior faculty members). The only requirement for a
grade in the course is a final paper on key course topics. Whelan
arranged the course curriculum and does some of the instruction,
but Jihvraj and Brady are responsible for reviewing and grading
each paper. A student turns in his paper for a final grade. Jihvraj
feels uncomfortable with the paper and does not assign a final
grade.
In discussing the paper with Brady, Jihvraj points out that
there are no references and a few of the paragraphs have different
tenses. He does a web search with selected paragraphs of the
student's paper and finds two online documents that match the
student's paper. Apparently, the student has pasted sections of two
different documents together. Jihvraj remembers reading articles in
separate scientific journals and his suspicions are confirmed when
he finds the articles and compares them to the student's work.
Jihvraj and Brady look at the school's penalties and policies
handbook for some guidance. When a faculty member has information
that a student has violated academic integrity in a course or
program for which he or she is responsible and determines that a
violation has occurred, the faculty member should inform the
student and impose an appropriate sanction. A faculty member may
make any one or a combination of the following responses to the
infractions:
- warning without further penalty,
- requiring rewriting of a paper containing plagiarized
material,
- lowering of a paper or project grade by one full grade or
more,
- giving a failing grade on a paper containing plagiarized
material,
- giving a failing grade on any examination in which cheating
occurred,
- lowering a course grade by one full grade or more.
Faculty members can take an additional step of reporting the
case to the university's judiciary board.
Further investigation by the two faculty members reveals that
the student holds a medical degree from a different country and
came to the department on a renowned international fellowship. The
student's faculty adviser is Whelan.
Jihvraj and Brady discuss the option of having the student
rewrite the paper but they are concerned about being fair to the 14
other graduate students. They decide to give the student a lower
grade of "C" with the recommendation that he retake the course.
Whelan is very upset that his student is to receive a "C." He
calls for a meeting with the dean. Jihvraj and Brady point out that
plagiarism is punishable by expulsion if formal charges are brought
to the judiciary board and that they have elected not to press
formal charges in light of the total situation. The student refuses
to admit that his paper is plagiarized, as it is a normal practice
in his country to use material without referencing the sources. He
also feels that he is being treated unfairly and
unprofessionally.
The junior professors know that Whelan is a former department
chair and that he has considerable political clout, but they feel
that their decision is sound and just. Brady is even contemplating
resigning publicly if their decision is undermined.
The dean listens and concludes that the junior professors'
decision should stand.
Discussion Questions:
- Does it matter that this international student is unfamiliar
with typical U. S. university policies?
- Where is the line drawn for adherence to the rules and
regulations on references?
- Was the student being treated unfairly and unprofessionally? If
so, how? What about the other 14 students in the course?
- Did Jihvraj and Brady exercise all options in arriving at their
decision?
- Should they have consulted Whelan before giving the student a
"C?"
- Who would be most affected by this outcome? the dean, funding
agency, instructors, student, school?
- How would a potential backlash change the final decision?
Potential problems may arise with the funding agency that sponsored
the student and their relationship with the university and the
future of the junior faculty when they go up for tenure.
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Commentary: Making the Grade
Commentary on understanding of the complexities of interpersonal, professional, academic and social responsibilities in ethical decision making by discussing the subjects of plagiarism, authorship on the internet, and how to be fair with international student's understanding of referencing material used in research.
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Additional Commentary: Making the Grade
Additional commentary on understanding the complexities of interpersonal, professional, academic and social responsibilities in ethical decision making by discussing the subjects of plagiarism, authorship on the internet, and how to be fair with international student's understanding of referencing material used in research.