Punishment for getting caught cheating on a final?

[Summerlax2016]

Finals week is ending at my school, and a friend of a friend had an extremely hard history class. She ended up getting caught cheating red handed, cell-phone literally in hand.

Ultimately her punishment was a 50% on the final. Kind of baffled by this because the school policy is a big old goose egg on the test, perhaps even failing the course.

Just kind of curious what the punishment would be at other schools.

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[baratheonfire]

What?
At my school I think they'd fail her in the course at the very least. Get expelled more likely.

 

[Kelly1993]

Ugh, yeah. All through high school, we heard so much about how cheating in college is an automatic expulsion. Just the other day on my final, the TA yelled at two kids who were talking to each other. That's it??

 

[baratheonfire]

Ugh, yeah. All through high school, we heard so much about how cheating in college is an automatic expulsion. Just the other day on my final, the TA yelled at two kids who were talking to each other. That's it??

Well that they might be lenient on, if they're just having a bad day and don't feel like following through. But a cell phone? Come on.

 

[Summerlax2016]

Yeah, I was honestly baffled. My mom is a college professor, and for her if she catches a student cheating, they are out of the program entirely. My jaw dropped when I heard about it.

 

[Pagan FutureDoc]

Anywhere from an automatic F in the course to expulsion.

A 50% on the final is getting off way easy. Especially since it sounds like that's what she would get if she hadn't cheated

 

[Goro]

I know of UG schools that would expel her.

Others would give her an F in the course and suspend her for a year.

Finals week is ending at my school, and a friend of a friend had an extremely hard history class. She ended up getting caught cheating red handed, cell-phone literally in hand.

Ultimately her punishment was a 50% on the final. Kind of baffled by this because the school policy is a big old goose egg on the test, perhaps even failing the course.

Just kind of curious what the punishment would be at other schools.

 

[Lannister]

Totally agree that she should be given an F. But I know that a lot of professors just don't want to go through the hassle of filling out the paperwork.

 

[texan2414]

WHY ARE 99% OF THESE STORES "FRIEND OF A FRIEND"????

 

[gyrfalcon]

Totally agree that she should be given an F. But I know that a lot of professors just don't want to go through the hassle of filling out the paperwork.

Same at my university. The TAs don't want to deal with it either. I've seen students with notes in their laps during exams. TA tells them to stop. The student pretends to put the papers away until the TA turns back around, then puts the notes back in sight. After a few repeats of this (!) the TA ignores that part of the room to avoid dealing with the problem. Super irritating.

 

[Lannister]

Same at my university. The TAs don't want to deal with it either. I've seen students with notes in their laps during exams. TA tells them to stop. The student pretends to put the papers away until the TA turns back around, then puts the notes back in sight. After a few repeats of this (!) the TA ignores that part of the room to avoid dealing with the problem. Super irritating.

That's too bad...people go to ridiculous lengths to cheat. I was a TA and once another TA and I got in a physical altercation with a student because he wouldn't stop cheating.

 

[Summerlax2016]

WHY ARE 99% OF THESE STORES "FRIEND OF A FRIEND"????

I met the girl once, she is friends with a girl I have had every class with, making her a friend of a friend. It isn't even worth the risk to cheat in a class, better to just not put yourself in that position to begin with.

 

[raiderette]

My school would be failure, IA, and up to expulsion. No way would they get off with 50%.

 

[Lawpy]

Totally agree that she should be given an F. But I know that a lot of professors just don't want to go through the hassle of filling out the paperwork.

Same at my university. The TAs don't want to deal with it either. I've seen students with notes in their laps during exams. TA tells them to stop. The student pretends to put the papers away until the TA turns back around, then puts the notes back in sight. After a few repeats of this (!) the TA ignores that part of the room to avoid dealing with the problem. Super irritating.

That's too bad...people go to ridiculous lengths to cheat. I was a TA and once another TA and I got in a physical altercation with a student because he wouldn't stop cheating.

A professor in my engineering physics class of ~200-300 students regularly supervises everyone during midterms and finals. Now being a large class, several TAs assist him. When they see students cheating, they simply tell them to get up and leave the classroom before privately failing them and reporting them to the Deans/Department Heads. This usually ends up with the cheaters being suspended or expelled.

I am pleased with that approach rather than wasting time and energy angrily rebuking the cheaters. Of course, in upper level courses, the questions are so difficult that it is impossible to cheat but even then, other professors took a similar approach to severely destroy the cheaters

 

[Lannister]

A professor in my engineering physics class of ~200-300 students regularly supervises everyone during midterms and finals. Now being a large class, several TAs assist him. When they see students cheating, they simply tell them to get up and leave the classroom before privately failing them and reporting them to the Deans/Department Heads. This usually ends up with the cheaters being suspended or expelled.

I am pleased with that approach rather than wasting time and energy angrily rebuking the cheaters. Of course, in upper level courses, the questions are so difficult that it is impossible to cheat but even then, other professors took a similar approach to severely destroy the cheaters

I totally agree with that method, but this was a little different. In this math class (of 400 students) they had a quiz everyday where you come to class, pick up your quiz booklet, and then the quiz is written on the chalk board and you have 5 minutes to take the quiz. A kid came in late, as the quiz was ending, and took his book, looked at the question, and went out into the hall so he could complete the quiz while everyone else was turning it in. We saw him, went out into the hallway, and politely asked for his quiz booklet because the time was up. He refused to give us the booklet, and my co-worker tried to grab it out of his hands, but he wouldn't let it go and shoved us away. Eventually she ripped it out of his hands and he stalked off saying vulgar things about us.

 

[Lawpy]

I totally agree with that method, but this was a little different. In this math class (of 400 students) they had a quiz everyday where you come to class, pick up your quiz booklet, and then the quiz is written on the chalk board and you have 5 minutes to take the quiz. A kid came in late, as the quiz was ending, and took his book, looked at the question, and went out into the hall so he could complete the quiz while everyone else was turning it in. We saw him, went out into the hallway, and politely asked for his quiz booklet because the time was up. He refused to give us the booklet, and my co-worker tried to grab it out of his hands, but he wouldn't let it go and shoved us away. Eventually she ripped it out of his hands and he stalked off saying vulgar things about us.

Um... he should be expelled and arrested for assault

 

[Lannister]

Um... he should be expelled and arrested for assault

Especially given that he was a 6+ ft male fighting against two five feet tall hundred pound girls. It was scary.

 

[Cotterpin]

This is a weird discussion to me. At my school, there was a zero-tolerance policy for cheaters (I don't know if that means expulsion or what because it was never an issue for me) and it seems like it was that way for most of you all as well. But at the same time, friends in my classes would tell me that they always saw a lot of cheating going on during exams. I never saw any cheating myself, but that might just be because I was always too busy actually taking the exam to notice what the people around me were doing. What do you all think? Is cheating widespread but going unpunished? How many students escape expulsion every semester just because they didn't get caught? (And how many of them go on to become doctors? 😕)

 

[livelovelife]

At my school, you get the teacher to get a warning and a 0 on work that you cheated on. On the second time, you get it put on your record.

50% on the exam is generous.

 

[Lannister]

This is a weird discussion to me. At my school, there was a zero-tolerance policy for cheaters (I don't know if that means expulsion or what because it was never an issue for me) and it seems like it was that way for most of you all as well. But at the same time, friends in my classes would tell me that they always saw a lot of cheating going on during exams. I never saw any cheating myself, but that might just be because I was always too busy actually taking the exam to notice what the people around me were doing. What do you all think? Is cheating widespread but going unpunished? How many students escape expulsion every semester just because they didn't get caught? (And how many of them go on to become doctors? 😕)

I never see anyone cheating when I'm just a student in the class, so I never thought it was a serious issue. But once I became a TA my opinion completely changed. The number of cheaters is shocking, there were "cheating rings" going on in the class I TA'd, where people sat in a circle with their friends and then everyone passed their quiz to the person next in the circle to check their answers when the professor and TAs weren't looking. And in that particular class, they were not punished nearly harsh enough, imo.

 

[Lannister]

I should add that I TA'd for a math class that is 90% freshmen engineering students. Wtf do they need to cheat for!? They're not even pre-med!

 

[lalex]

My school would be failure, IA, and up to expulsion. No way would they get off with 50%.

I'm sure OP's school has a strict policy on cheating like most (if not all) do. But not every professor, even at your school, gets the kid in that much trouble.

 

[lalex]

I should add that I TA'd for a math class that is 90% freshmen engineering students. Wtf do they need to cheat for!? They're not even pre-med!

Same reason my friend who is getting her bachelor's in business would cheat. That **** goes on your resume and if you don't put your GPA, it's usually because it sucks.

 

[Cotterpin]

I never see anyone cheating when I'm just a student in the class, so I never thought it was a serious issue. But once I became a TA my opinion completely changed. The number of cheaters is shocking, there were "cheating rings" going on in the class I TA'd, where people sat in a circle with their friends and then everyone passed their quiz to the person next in the circle to check their answers when the professor and TAs weren't looking. And in that particular class, they were not punished nearly harsh enough, imo.

Whaaaaaaaaaat.

 

[Lannister]

Whaaaaaaaaaat.

That's not even the most outrageous lol. This was the year before I started as a TA, but I heard a lot about it. This girl got a 64 or something on an exam, went home, typed up a blank version of the exam on Word, filled it in with all the right answers, took a red pen and added some grader's comments for good measure, then took it to the professor and said, "I actually got a 94, but you put my grade as 64 in Blackboard!"

 

[Lawpy]

(And how many of them go on to become doctors? 😕)

Scarily enough, people cheat in medical school.

 

[Cotterpin]

That's not even the most outrageous lol. This was the year before I started as a TA, but I heard a lot about it. This girl got a 64 or something on an exam, went home, typed up a blank version of the exam on Word, filled it in with all the right answers, took a red pen and added some grader's comments for good measure, then took it to the professor and said, "I actually got a 94, but you put my grade as 64 in Blackboard!"

Are you serious. I don't even get how people's brains work. One time, a TA actually did mess up and not put my score in for a quiz, so I took a picture of the quiz and emailed it to her so she could put it in. But the picture came out kinda blurry and she was like "That's an 8/10, right?" Except it wasn't! It was a 3/10 because I was sucking in that class. So it was a perfect opportunity to lie and take the 8 instead - nobody would ever know - but I still just could not do it and told her it was a 3. How the **** can people cheat so brazenly?!

Scarily enough, people cheat in medical school.

Boooooooooo!

 

[Lannister]

Are you serious. I don't even get how people's brains work. One time, a TA actually did mess up and not put my score in for a quiz, so I took a picture of the quiz and emailed it to her so she could put it in. But the picture came out kinda blurry and she was like "That's an 8/10, right?" Except it wasn't! It was a 3/10 because I was sucking in that class. So it was a perfect opportunity to lie and take the 8 instead - nobody would ever know - but I still just could not do it and told her it was a 3. How the **** can people cheat so brazenly?!



Boooooooooo!

I have no idea, I can't accept a grade I didn't earn even when it's the professor's fault for making a grading error. I always point out the mistake to them. I just don't know how someone could take such a stupid risk.

 

[legiticus]

I was a TA for freshman biology for 6 semesters, and over those three years, four kids got kicked out of the school for blatantly cheating on tests/quizzes in our class. I'm sure there were some we never caught as well. It's sad how prevalent cheating is.

 

[GiveMeThatMD]

WHY ARE 99% OF THESE STORES "FRIEND OF A FRIEND"????

That's what I'm saying! Like, if I had any friends, and they were anything like me, they wouldn't have any friends either.

 

[WhittyPsyche]

A little bit different, but a professor found out some kids from later sections of this class I took this semester had formed some type of G chat or yahoo group, one person in the group got a copy of an exam (midterm) from an earlier section and posted it all for the group. All sections got an email from the department that since they don't know exactly who else outside the group it was shared with, all sections after the Mon 9am class would have to take a new exam. Fortunately I had the 9am class so was saved that huge PITA. But from what I heard, no expulsions, they would have to expel 90% of a class in a 20 person section, maybe two sections.

 

[Oncie]

That's too bad...people go to ridiculous lengths to cheat. I was a TA and once another TA and I got in a physical altercation with a student because he wouldn't stop cheating.

You fought a guy for cheating? In those situations, its better to call security or something

Especially given that he was a 6+ ft male fighting against two five feet tall hundred pound girls. It was scary.

You're a girl?! 😱

I never see anyone cheating when I'm just a student in the class, so I never thought it was a serious issue. But once I became a TA my opinion completely changed. The number of cheaters is shocking, there were "cheating rings" going on in the class I TA'd, where people sat in a circle with their friends and then everyone passed their quiz to the person next in the circle to check their answers when the professor and TAs weren't looking. And in that particular class, they were not punished nearly harsh enough, imo.

Not to be stereotypical or anything but the asian international students at my school have been known to do similar things like this

 

[Oncie]

That's not even the most outrageous lol. This was the year before I started as a TA, but I heard a lot about it. This girl got a 64 or something on an exam, went home, typed up a blank version of the exam on Word, filled it in with all the right answers, took a red pen and added some grader's comments for good measure, then took it to the professor and said, "I actually got a 94, but you put my grade as 64 in Blackboard!"

You're giving me all sorts of new ideas.

Seriously though wtf. I think the professor deserves some blame for this surely?

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

Finals week is ending at my school, and a friend of a friend had an extremely hard history class. She ended up getting caught cheating red handed, cell-phone literally in hand.

Ultimately her punishment was a 50% on the final. Kind of baffled by this because the school policy is a big old goose egg on the test, perhaps even failing the course.

Just kind of curious what the punishment would be at other schools.

A mere slap on the wrist is what that is.

 

[Turkishking]

Really depends on the professor. Some professors are uptight, while some professors see you whispering to your friend and don't say anything during an exam.

 

[texan2414]

All the cheating in the world but you CAN'T cheat on the MCAT folks!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

All the cheating in the world but you CAN'T cheat on the MCAT folks!!!!!!!!!!

I sure hope people don't attempt to do so...

 

[Vermilion_Parish]

My school is a supposed 0% tolerance school. However, I found out in my second year that that was basically a lie. They threaten to throw the book at you, but in actuality the first offense isn't even a slap on the wrist. Not only cheating, but plagiarizing, only results in a stern talking to. My SO was a TA and discussed the process with me after they had to bring a student in. I couldn't believe it.

Although, there was a story of satisfaction to follow. Apparently some girl caught a guy cheating on her paper so she started filling out all the wrong answers. When she "finished" she went to hand it in and told the professor about what had happened and then requested the opportunity to fix her paper. They let her fix everything up at the front and then turn it in. I was proud of her.

 

[Cotterpin]

You're giving me all sorts of new ideas.

Seriously though wtf. I think the professor deserves some blame for this surely?

Lol, how can the professor be to blame? Obviously the cheater got caught, so it would seem that when she tried to submit the fake exam to the professor she got shut down.

 

[jl lin]

That's too bad...people go to ridiculous lengths to cheat. I was a TA and once another TA and I got in a physical altercation with a student because he wouldn't stop cheating.

Wow. That's completely messed up. That student had to get thrown out of school, no?

 

[jl lin]

I never see anyone cheating when I'm just a student in the class, so I never thought it was a serious issue. But once I became a TA my opinion completely changed. The number of cheaters is shocking, there were "cheating rings" going on in the class I TA'd, where people sat in a circle with their friends and then everyone passed their quiz to the person next in the circle to check their answers when the professor and TAs weren't looking. And in that particular class, they were not punished nearly harsh enough, imo.

And sadly this is why we see so many of these cheating threads. You can see why there is a need to seriously crack down on this sort of thing...so much so, that I would be afraid to do anything such as get a stiff neck and stretching after looking down at at my test for a long time. God forbid you get a cramp or something.

It's more time-consuming, but I think they may have to start having people make appointments and sit in rooms, w/o their phones or anything else, and have students use a camera'd computers to take the exam.

Or, wouldn't it be a shame to have to hire security teams to be co-proctors during exams?

Cheating circles. . .What the. . .

 

[Lannister]

You fought a guy for cheating? In those situations, its better to call security or something


You're a girl?! 😱



Not to be stereotypical or anything but the asian international students at my school have been known to do similar things like this

Yeah it was the other TA who decided to go after him, she was kind of aggressive Haha. And yes I am a girl. And yes, the cheating rings were Asian international students.

 

[ImmunoLove]

Failed test/course. Written up (school record). Second offense= expelled.

 

[dreamadream]

Academic suspension and the fact that they cheated will be on their records...no bueno.

 

[ImmunoLove]

Yeah it was the other TA who decided to go after him, she was kind of aggressive Haha. And yes I am a girl. And yes, the cheating rings were Asian international students.

As student, TA and lecturer, I also witnessed the international cheating ring. I have a zero cheat policy, personally. If I catch you, you're fried. It's for your own good-- let this one burn so next time you shudder when it occurs to you. As a student, cheating results in an F (a slap on the wrist), but as a scientist, it is game over-- you are ostracized from the community for which you dedicated years of life to gain entry. Best cut out the cheating temptation early on.

 

[Lucca]

One of my professors wrote in his syllabus that if he found you cheating in his class that he "would nuke you". In other words, instant failure and expulsion. I've never witnessed or heard of cheating so I've never seen someone get caught. I'm sure it happened at least once in one of my big lecture courses early on but I just went to class and took tests I didn't really bother myself with other people.

 

[deleted407021]

You're a girl?! 😱

Cersei of House Lannister def. cheats tho.

 

[dreamadream]

Jon Snow will return.

 

[El-Rami]

Are you serious. I don't even get how people's brains work. One time, a TA actually did mess up and not put my score in for a quiz, so I took a picture of the quiz and emailed it to her so she could put it in. But the picture came out kinda blurry and she was like "That's an 8/10, right?" Except it wasn't! It was a 3/10 because I was sucking in that class. So it was a perfect opportunity to lie and take the 8 instead - nobody would ever know - but I still just could not do it and told her it was a 3. How the **** can people cheat so brazenly?!

I have told professors in the past that they gave me a few points more than I deserved because they forgot to subtract them from the raw score. Usually they just let me keep the points because they didn't think it would matter anyway. I'm honest to a fault, so it baffles me when students cheat. I've seen students scream at professors because they got a B, and I've heard horror stories about pre-meds making threats against professors until they receive a good grade.

 

[Yleio381]

I believe most schools/departments have harsh penalties for cheating. But it's a lot of (paper)work for the professor to report cheaters so sometimes, depending on the individual situation and the individual professor, they will just fail the student for that exam or for the whole class. However if the student tries to fight it the professor will follow the university's protocol and the punishment will be more severe.