Evaluation of Ways to Stop Dishonesty in Educational Institutions

Institutions of higher learning in the north central section of the United States are required by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) to operate ethically and responsibly for them to be fully accredited. Despite the presence of regulations laid down, stories about ethical and integrity issues still rock the headlines daily. Higher Learning Commission requires that all institutions meet all its criterion of accreditation. Criterion two stipulates ethics and responsible conduct required. Numerous ethical aspects have been violated both by the university management and the students knowingly and unknowingly (Strain, Barnett & Jarvis, 2009).

Passing exams and term papers are the happiness of every student. Driven by the spirit of passing, students have found themselves on the wrong side of college rules and regulations and had their results cancelled. The vice of cheating in an exam according to Michael Josephson is inherited and led by adults (Josephson, 2002).

In 2007, in the Duke University of Business found 16 students cheating on a take-home test. The students were found guilty of the offence, and most of them were suspended while others were discontinued. Although most the guilty students were foreign students, the vice was found to have established roots among the students. Some students copied from each other while others presented plagiarized assignments (True champions practice points, 2009). The university at this point fails to meet criterion two of Higher Learning Commission since it fails to prevent students from cheating.

Advances in technology have aided students to cheat in exams. Students use mobile phones either in examination rooms or to search, copy and paste information from the internet. Also, students have been found using campus free wireless internet to access online resources using mini-computers during exams. Most critical of all is that some lecturers and tutors have been found liaising with students such that no penalty is imposed on them even after being found cheating.

To curb fraud and irregularities in exams, institutions should include a curriculum where students are taught the importance and the risks of engaging examination malpractices. Universities should come up with strategies of administering term papers and exams which will not allow students to cheat. Also, lecturers and university examination bodies should set up stringent rules which will discourage students from engaging in exam cheating (Josephson, 2002).