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Laura Lathrop
Mary Prappas Ethics Essay
Ethical Dilemma: Homework Collaboration
A Financial Accounting homework solution sheet spread across the University of
Iowa campus hours before its 5:00 p.m. deadline on Friday October 27th, 2006. Waiting
until the last minute to start the assignment, students desperately copied down answers
without considering the potential consequences. Unaware of an error in the solution
sheet, nearly 160 students were exposed as cheaters by having a verbatim wrong answer.
They received a zero on the assignment, were dropped a full letter grade, and now carry
tarnished reputations—a big consequence for what seemed to them a small infraction.
When students are overwhelmed with a heavy workload, they are often tempted to “cut
corners” in order to stay on top of their school work. Such is the case of Sam, a Tippie
College of Business undergraduate, swamped by three midterms and a paper. Sam asks
his close friend Brian if he can see his statistics homework—just to “jump start his own
thinking.” Despite caring for his friend, this is one favor that Brian should not do for
Sam. In fact, by helping Sam, Brian could receive penalties for violating the Honor
Code, disadvantage students who do their own work, undermine the integrity of the
Tippie College of Business, and encourage poor work habits by allowing Sam to “cut
corners.”
The College of Business Honor Code is established “to set a standard of honest
and ethical behavior that reflects well on students, the Henry B. Tippie College of
Business, and The University of Iowa.” By enrolling in the College of Business, all
students, including Brian and Sam, are expected to uphold academic integrity. By
consenting to Sam’s request, Brian and Sam would be guilty of the following academic
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offenses: cheating, unauthorized collaboration, and obtaining an unfair advantage.
Moreover, providing Sam with “insider information,” facilitates academic dishonesty,
thus, violating the Honor Code.
Cheating and collaboration are unfortunate habits of students and while most
remain unscathed by their actions, some are not as fortunate. According to Robert J.
Hartman, head of the accounting department, nearly 50 of the 160 suspected students
taking the financial accounting course in the fall of 2006 were dropped an entire letter
grade for copying a homework solution. Hartman believes that upholding The
University’s ethical standards, such as the Honor Code, is important because, “By
misrepresenting their work, students violate the whole educational experience. Students
have to take responsibility for their actions.” Overall, unauthorized collaboration
undermines the Tippie College of Business as an institution of academic integrity and
learning. By refusing Sam his answers, Brian not only complies with the provisions
established in the Honor Code, but takes “personal responsibility to uphold and defend
academic integrity.”
In helping Sam, Brian would also disadvantage students who work independently.
Honor codes aim to create a level of fairness for all students. By collaborating, Brian and
Sam would negatively affect students who do their own work, as they spend more time
and energy on assignments than students who collaborate. Also, if Brian were to let Sam
borrow his work, he would give Sam an unfair advantage on the assignment for two
reasons. First, Sam could use Brian’s solutions to find the correct answer, which does not
show Sam’s knowledge of the material but Brian’s. Second, collaboration gives Sam an
unfair advantage in final grading. In the Tippie College of Business, students are graded
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on a curve. As a result, final course grades are relative to how students compare to their
classmates. In denying Sam his answers, Brian promotes an honest and virtuous learning
environment—and a fair playing field for all students.
Brian’s actions not only affect other students, but also faculty members and the
administrators in The College of Business who must take time to investigate these
infractions. For example, the individual who provided the financial accounting
homework solution sheet negatively affected: the 50 students who were dropped a full
letter grade, the teaching assistants and professors who spent extensive time investigating
the issue, and the overall reputation of the Tippie College of Business. When asked
about the incident, Sean Crowley, a fall 2006 financial accounting teaching assistant
replied, “Professors and teaching assistants are here to promote learning and it’s upsetting
that students would cheat rather than seek help. It not only reflects poorly on the
individual, but also The University.” Brian must realize the negative impact that even a
simple action like giving Sam his answers could have on others. Cheating and academic
misconduct have far reaching effects.
Individuals who have a personal habit of “cutting corners,” being dishonest, or
taking the easy way out in order to get ahead, will often use the same practices in their
career. As a friend, Brian actually hinders Sam’s professional development by letting
him see the answers. Allowing Sam to procrastinate teaches him poor time management
and reinforces bad habits, setting him up for failure in the future. While feasible on a
small scale, “cutting corners” will ultimately prove problematic. For instance, Jeffrey
Skilling, CEO of Enron Corporation, illegally “cut corners” by falsely inflating profits,
which ultimately led to the company’s downfall. Although students and businesses
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professionals are tempted to “cut corners” for short-term gains, the long-run outcome can
have severe ramifications. Sam must learn the importance of hard work in order to create
successful outcomes in his own professional career.
The University of Iowa strives to prepare students for challenges in the business
world. Every day, business students must balance a heavy workload of mid-terms,
papers, group projects, readings, and homework assignments. Unfortunately, the task of
managing time and stress does not end upon receiving a diploma; overcoming pressures,
finishing projects, and making deadlines are commonplace in the workforce. Therefore,
it is imperative for Sam to confront these challenges with a strong work ethic and moral
responsibility. Brian acts as a true friend in denying Sam the answers, for he helps Sam
learn the importance of hard work, time management, and integrity.