Ethical Standards In Acedemia

Ethical Standards in Academia

Ethical Standards in Academia

University of Phoenix

September 10, 2006

GEN300

Abstract

Universities have "zero tolerance" for plagiarism, but students continue to break academic standards. This paper examines ethical standards in an academic environment where student diversity is a unique characteristic. High academic standards in the United States are a hallmark to America's post-secondary education system however; keeping high standards for learning is difficult. Maintaining high standards of learning is challenging for staff, faculty, and students because of student diversity. Natural barriers to communication as well as cultural differences often result in ethical dilemmas.

Ethical Standards in Academia

Introduction

Today more than ever in history, people are attending universities and colleges throughout the world. In the United States, millions of students attend post secondary institutions of higher learning. The student population as well as ethnic and religious diversity is staggering. Along with diversity comes the challenging task of maintaining ethical standards in education. This paper examines ethical standards in an academic environment and how staff, faculty, and students reinforce rules and prevent ethical dilemmas in a diverse student population. Even though colleges have "zero tolerance" for plagiarism, students break the rules because of ignorance. Because of the diverse student population, misunderstandings, many of them due to cultural and language barriers, increase the potential for breaking standards of conduct.

Students break ethical codes of conduct (setting academic standards)

Ethical standards in an academic environment are put to the test everyday by hundreds of students attending colleges and universities around the world. In order to prevent ethical dilemmas and enforce self-discipline in the learning environment colleges have developed an academic and behavioral code of ethics for students to adhere to. The three universities that were chosen to be researched were: Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University and University of Phoenix.

Of the three accredited universities that were researched all had a student code of conduct in place located in the university catalog. The code of conduct was divided into two separate sections: Academic codes of conduct and Student codes of conduct. The first similarities were noted within the text of the academic codes of conduct. The language used in each policy for each individual school was almost identical. Plagiarism and cheating are listed as academic misconduct across the board. Georgia Technology Institute considers the academic code a "code of honor, and any academic misconduct is any act that does or could improperly distort grades or other student academic records." (Retrieved on September 6, 2006 from www.gatech.edu: Catalog 2006-2007: Rules and Regulations: 19C Student Code of Conduct). Georgia State University defines it's academic conduct as "academic honesty and the University assumes as a basic and minimum standard conduct in academic matters that students be honest and that they submit for credit only of their own efforts." (Retrieved on September 6, 2006 from www.gastate.edu: Dean of Students office/code of conduct and policies). University of Phoenix describes its code as an "academic community, in which students are responsible to respect the rights and privileges of others, and to foster an environment conducive to student learning." (Retrieved on September 6, 2006 from ecampus.phoenix.edu eresouce campus handbook 2006).

In regards to Student codes of conduct there were many commonalities with each university. Any conduct that was disruptive, harassing or threatening in anyway to another student or faculty member was immediate cause for disciplinary sanctions. Public intoxication, stealing, weapons possession and forgery were bigger offenses and would lead to immediate dismissals, investigations and possible judicial hearings. (Paraphrased source from all 3 website cites). The most considerable difference between the universities was the way in which they dealt with the violations. Each individual university had diverse courses of action, student committees, judicial procedures and resolution options.

Ethical dilemmas faced by students

Correcting a student who violates codes of code is swift and sure. Likewise, violators receive punishment based on the type of infraction and the extent of the damage to the institution. The serious violations are dealt with more severely. The intent of a code of conduct is to provide guidelines, but more importantly is to implement a basis of deterrence for breaking the rules. The following paragraphs are two examples of violations and the extent of punishment.

"During the last semester of their senior year, three nursing students plagiarized the ethics paper required for their role transition course. All students had been verbally warned not to plagiarize by the teacher at the beginning of the course ... Two of the students copied and pasted many paragraphs of their papers from multiple Internet articles and Web sites, then presented the work as their own. In these cases, the plagiarism was clear. When confronted with the evidence, both students acknowledged the cheating and accepted the consequences set forth by the faculty: failure of the course and the nursing program. However, because the students readily acknowledged their responsibility for the plagiarism, they were given the option of reapplying to the program with full acknowledgment of the plagiarism, completing a course on academic honesty offered by the university, and retaking the course in another semester". (Kiehl, 2006)

[Another case] "...differed in that the plagiarized material was copied from several Internet sources, but cited as work from authors other than those who had written the original works. The citations were of authors who had published articles related to the chosen ethics issue, but who were not the authors of the sections noted as such. When confronted, the student was not forthright in admitting the plagiarism. Over the course of several days, the student had to be shown copies