Keep your eyes on your own paper

As a grader in the chemistry department winter quarter, I had the unfortunate experience of reporting two students for serious academic misconduct. One case involved a student submitting another’s already-graded assignments as their own. The other concerned a student who forged homework to look like a TA graded it, and then tried to re-submit it for more points.

In both cases, the deception was immediately obvious, and both students were reported to the space associate chair according to departmental protocol. The consequences included scores of zeros on the fabricated homework, with more serious repercussions only if they are caught again within the department.

Is the University afraid to hold students more accountable? Both students deliberately attempted fraud. The University has a responsibility to ensure that there is a strong disincentive for academic misconduct. When these acts are punished with little more than a slap on the wrist, students may try again, especially if they’ve gotten away with it before. These students aren’t just hurting themselves in the long run; they also damage the reputation of our University. Students who have earned grades legitimately need to speak out for more stringent punishments in order to preserve the integrity of the University and the value of a UW degree.

Lisa Brines

Ph.D. candidate, Chemistry