I take serious issue with Amanda Karim’s assertion that “suspicious excuses” in “a pass/fail one-credit class” amount to “triviality” (“A failure of honor,” 3/30/2009). Since graduating from the University, I have taught at two universities and interacted with faculty at many others. At communities without trust, I have observed faculty requiring doctors’ notes, death certificates, and boarding passes to document students’ claims. I have heard of faculty prohibiting bathroom breaks during exams and checking IDs at each desk during finals.
Students may certainly choose any level of effort for any course, but honor is, simply, accepting responsibility for those choices. I agree with Karim that missing an assignment in a one credit course is not a major breach.
Tearing at the fragile fabric of trust is.
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