Lisbette Castillo/ Contributing Writer
In 2016, the University launched an initiative to encourage students to work hard to receive the best education and not cheat themselves out of learning.
The Academic Integrity for FIU students states the following:
“I will be honest in my academic endeavors.
I will not represent someone else’s work as my own.
I will not cheat, nor will I aid in another’s cheating.”
FIU News reported on a study conducted by Donald McCabe and the International Center for Academic Integrity that stated that 30 percent of undergraduate university students admitted to cheating on tests and 62 percent admitted to cheating on written assignments.
“The reason students cheat most of the time is because they’re afraid,” said Faculty Fellow for Academic Integrity Valerie George.
George said students don’t do well in classes because they’re trying to balance jobs and other things or they don’t understand the material. Therefore, they feel compelled to cheat.
“Now it’s kind of creeping into our social norm and students think well everyone else is doing it so I can do it too,” said George.
George said the Academic Integrity pledge is trying to create a culture where students are proud of their degree and they’re proud of their university.
“When students cheat, it devalues their degrees because when students leave the university they don’t have any knowledge,” said George.
Tatiana Delgado, a journalism major, said that after getting caught cheating by her teacher in school she vowed to never cheat again.
“The teacher called me up and told me she could write me up for it but that she wouldn’t because she knew I was a good student,” said Delgado. “I have a horrible fear of getting caught after that.”
According to the FIU handbook, failing to abide by the Academic Integrity may result in expulsion, suspension, disciplinary probation, failing or reduction of grade.
Delgado said that as slim as the chance of getting caught cheating is, it’s just not worth the high risk.
“Of course I’ve been tempted to cheat on exams, just look over and see what the person next to me has written down but the flashback of my high school teacher’s disappointment face always comes back to me,” said Delgado.
George said there are multiple websites that are currently legal in the United States where students can pay someone to do their work, take their exams and even take their online classes.
“It’s inevitable,” said George. “We are in a time where students are vulnerable and these websites are so predatory. People will eat you. Do not be swayed by this. This is not good.”
George created the Academic Integrity website so students could have resources available to them, namely how to avoid plagiarism and how to properly cite.
“The major area of cheating is either plagiarism or students cheat online,” said George.
The initiative also hosted their first Academic Integrity Day in October and since the launch, George says there have been more instances of cheating because more people are coming forward. She thinks that student involvement in the Academic Integrity committee can change that.
“Our biggest problem is we don’t have student participation,” said George. “We need student representatives to get committed to participating in this.”
George encourages students to work hard and not take the easy road out.
“My goodness you paid for your education—get one,” said George.
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