BUTTE – More than 200 students at Montana Tech spent an hour-long class called Academic Integrity which teaches them how unethical it is to cheat in class.
“All the research is coming out saying that college students, particularly undergraduates, do commit academic dishonesty and one of the reasons they do it is because they feel like everyone else is doing it so it’s this culture that is created,” said Dean of Student Carrie Vath.
This program is designed to show students that there are consequences to cheating, evening after school.
“We’ve had issues in Montana with some of our Reps. who got in trouble with plagiarism on their master’s thesis, right, there have been faculty members who have been accused of forgery and things like that, their careers are ruined,” said Vath.
In the summer of 2016, the administration uncovered a highly organized cheating operation which resulted in the expulsion of 15 students. After that, the university decided they needed to take action.
“We revised our academic integrity policy, I was one of the lead architects on it last year, so it rolled out last July and so we’re trying to be proactive in conveying the information they need to know,” said Vath.
And hopefully, teach students to earn good grades the old fashion way – hard work and study.
Reporting by John Emeigh for MTN News
