Professors and administators ignore cheating to save face

Editor,

I am writing in response to Rueben Hamming-Green’s article, “Plagiarism Up, Punishment Down,” printed Sept. 17.
His article revealed a lot about the current administrative policies at UNM. It provided information stating that plagiarism is on the rise, despite the lack of reports or punishment. Yet it does not adequately point out that the current administration is not reporting plagiarism as an attempt to keep up appearance.

This is a serious issue. UNM’s policy to not have cases of plagiarism reported on the permanent record will lead to a decline in our standard of excellence.

First, displaying leniency to plagiarism suggests that it is a minor offense. Education at the university level should come with certain expectations that demand effort from students. Intentionally plagiarizing undermines the system of the University and the education of the student.

Second, this makes me question what intentions the faculty have for our educational betterment. In the article, Robert Burford, a judicial specialist in the Dean of Students Offices, said plagiarism cases are adjudicated “depending on the severity of the case and how remorseful the student is.” This attitude makes it clear that our administration is more concerned with keeping blemishes off of our permanent records than challenging us intellectually.

Finally, I would like once more to reiterate the dangers of leniency toward plagiarism. First, it shows UNM is in trouble because it is trying to hide rising accounts of academic dishonesty. Second, it lowers the incentive for a high quality of work produced by students. Third, it diminishes a student’s faith in the institution it depends on for a higher education.

We are a strong and intelligent student body, and we should be expected to behave as such. We need to expect our faculty to expect more from us where it counts. We pay good money to face academic challenges, and so the challenges should be worth it.

Eli Wentzel-Fisher
UNM student

Editor’s note: Eli, it should be noted that while it is possible that the overall number of cases of plagiarism are increasing, Burford attributed the increase in reported cases to the recently granted power for faculty members to refer cases to his office, but still handle suspected cases of academic dishonesty in the classroom.