Cheating is professors' not students' fault By Cindy Greenburg Tribune Media Services      For the first 15 years of my academic career, I hated cheaters, those good-for-nothing idiots. They would do everything they could for a desirable grade, save for actually studying.      I’ve witnessed an increased amount of cheating and a new and improved buffet of academic dishonesty. Now, in addition to the fraternities and sororities hoarding professors’ copies of old tests, students can copy essays off the Internet and hire services to write essays for them.      So does it bother me that everyone cheats and no one learns? Not anymore. A bare bones understanding of cheating entails the realization that to cheat means to achieve a socially acceptable goal through what may be considered generally unaccepted means. But it seems that the only people who find cheating to be objectionable are the professors and a few idealistic, righteous students.      Almost every student has admitted to cheating at least once. The list of methods is so long that most have probably found a match sometime during their education. In these technology-infused times, the academic arena is facing a Napsteresque crisis.      Since cheating and other forms of academic “dishonesty” are so widespread, maybe students’ shortcuts shouldn’t be branded with the epithet cheating. It seems that what could once be considered academic dishonesty is now a rather efficient, socially accepted use of mental resources. The culture of cheating has exploded, and the only way to combat the problem is to create a counter-culture in which the nature of the work renders cheating impossible.      Professors could better spend their time publishing essays or brainstorming more creative assignments instead of becoming experts in the fine art of preventing shortcuts or wrist-slapping those who take them. If teachers want to cross cheating off their list of reservations about working in education, they need to create a situation in which students can’t or don’t want to cheat. So, what do YOU think? Letters to The Columbia Chronicle can be sent to us by filling out this form. Note: If your browser does not support multiple windows, click here. Back to top   |   Home Copyright © 2001, Columbia Chronicle Columbia Chronicle articles, photos, and graphics are the property of the Columbia Chronicle and may not be reproduced or published without written permission from the staff, editors, or faculty advisor. The Columbia Chronicle is a student produced publication of Columbia College Chicago and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of Columbia College administrators, faculty or students.

April 23, 2001 This week in Commentary: It's a grand old flag, y'all Televising of McVeigh execution reeks of the past Big Brother is watching you Cheating is professors' not students' fault Photo Poll Letters to the Chronicle Search our archive: The Columbia Chronicle is an award-winning college newspaper written and distributed weekly by the students at Views expressed here are not necessarily those of the Journalism Department or the college. Visit the Columbia College Chicago Web Site