What would you do if you saw a student cheating on a major test or exam? Or if someone asked for your help on a test? Students nationwide have to answer questions like these in a survey conducted by the Center for Academic Integrity in Durham, NC.
Last spring, the Center chose 12 schools to survey which differed in size, and location and whether an honor system was present.
As a part of the project, surveys have been sent to randomly selected students, faculty members and administrators in each of the participating schools. Upon completion, the results of the surveys will be passed on to each school's assessment committee.
In addition to evaluating the surveys, the committees also are responsible for discussing honor code policy, disciplinary processes, sanctions, educational and curriculum awareness programs and an overall assessment of the data.
In early April of next year, the 12 committees will meet at Vanderbilt University to discuss their individual results.
According to Center Director Sally Cole, the goal of the study was to "improve the [Center's Academic Integrity Assessment and Action Guide] and to make it more broadly available."
Although the University did not apply to participate in the Center's nationwide study, Honor Committee Chairman Hunter Ferguson said he is curious to find out the results of the Center's nationwide study.
"Any kind of survey that provides feedback would be helpful," Ferguson said.
He said it is hard to say how the honor system at the University compares to systems at other schools.
"We hold ourselves to a different standard than other schools do, because the responsibility of the Honor Code is not just academic policing," he said. It also involves lying and stealing.
The Committee recently completed a self-evaluation that resulted in several proposals. A survey on the honor system also was distributed to faculty members last year. Results showed 48 percent of faculty respondents felt the honor system has declined, and 30 percent said their overall opinion of the honor system was either very negative or somewhat negative.
Universities participating in the survey, however, are taking the chance to evaluate the academic integrity on their own campuses.
"One of Duke's main objectives [in participating in the study] was to bring awareness to the issue of academic integrity," said Sue Wasiolek, administrative coordinator for Duke University's participation in the project. "Involvement in the study has already heightened discussion among students, faculty, and administrators." Brigham Young University, one of the other schools participating in the study, is hoping "to find out where [its honor code] stands with respect to other universities," said David Galbraith, the study's chairman at BYU.
The Center received funding for the study from the John Templeton Foundation to investigate academic integrity in universities around the nation. According to the Foundation's Web site, it is an organization which supports studies that promote moral progress.
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