Students seek support reporting academic integrity violations

Students would benefit from an environment that encourages them to report violations of academic integrity and helps guide them to make the right decisions, said participants in the first Ethics in Public Life Forum Nov. 9.

More than 100 students, faculty and staff gathered in the Pendleton Room of the Michigan Union to discuss various student ethical dilemmas in "Academic Integrity and the U-M Undergrad: Are We Doing What We Should Be?," part of the Office of the President Ethics in Public Life Initiative.

"I am struck by the real concern students have about observing and reporting violations; getting people to report is hard to do," said John Chamberlin, professor of public policy in the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, and of political science in LSA, and co-chair of the Ethics in Public Life Task Force. "Students care about a more supportive environment."

The inaugural forum was part of a University-wide presidential initiative to discuss public issues and promote thoughtful and meaningful responses to the sorts of lapses in ethical behavior witnessed recently on the national and international scene. The second forum, "Religion in Public Life," will be Jan. 31 at the Ann Arbor Public Library.

"There is a tremendous desire for students to come talk about the things they read about in the newspaper," President Mary Sue Coleman said. "This is extremely important to our students and community, and we are trying to learn from each other how to behave in this environment."

Most ideas generated at the forum came from breakout sessions during which participants met in small groups to discuss three different scenarios. They were asked to identify dilemmas presented for the University and offer ideas for resolving them.

One scenario dealt with a group project in which one member wonders whether another participant has prepared her own materials for a presentation or used the work of another. While a number of the issues discussed at the forum centered on plagiarism, many participants said academic integrity goes beyond the one issue.

"Ethics is not just plagiarism," said Sameka Morani, a senior in political science. "We need to apply ethics to real-life situations, not just discuss it in terms of plagiarism."

Many students said they struggle with how to approach someone they think might be cheating, especially if they have to work with the individual in the future or attend class with him or her for several years.

All participants considered the general question: What could U-M do to help students respond ethically to questions of academic integrity?

"Giving students a lot of different choices would make it easier to come forward," said Jared Frost, president of the College of Engineering Honor Council.

Several faculty members discussed academic integrity within their units, including Martha Vicinus, the Eliza Mosher Distinguished University Professor, director of academic programs in the Sweetland Writing Center, and professor of English and women's studies in LSA.

She said the writing center recently hosted a conference on originality, imitation and plagiarism in which one of the papers asked if plagiarism was just the panic of the moment. Vicinus said there are three main problems of academic integrity: buying and selling papers on the Internet; taking work of vulnerable people and using it for one's own purposes; and the outright stealing of ideas.

"These three issues have been a problem for some time and need to be dealt with," she said. "Academic integrity needs to be constantly tested."

Esrold Nurse, assistant dean for student academic affairs in LSA, said the college has made important strides in academic integrity but more work needs to be done. He said an academic integrity quiz was sent to all new LSA students this fall and more than 90 percent have completed it.

"How do we live these values as we go about our everyday lives in academia?," Nurse asked. "It is through public discourse of ethical behavior that we can make the most headway."

Gary Herrin, interim associate dean for undergraduate education and professor of industrial and operations engineering, said engineering students must leave the University with an understanding of their professional and ethical responsibilities.

"Engineers most every day deal with ethical issues when they are asked to reduce the cost of things," he said. "If engineers don't get it right, people die."

Deborah Meizlish, coordinator of social science faculty development at the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, said ethical issues arise in individual contexts.

"These are not easy issues," she said.

For more information on the Ethics in Public Life Initiative, visit http://www.umich.edu/pres/committees/ethics.html or e-mail EPL@umich.edu.

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