Cheating rife in US colleges in the digital age

Stanford University's honour code dates to 1921, written by students to help guide them through the minefield of plagiarism, forbidden collaboration, copying and other chicaneries that have tempted undergraduates since they first arrived on college campuses.

Exams aren't proctored and students are expected to police themselves and speak up when they see others committing violations.

But there appears to have been a massive breakdown during the recent winter quarter culminating in "an unusually high number of troubling allegations of academic dishonesty" reported to officials, according to a letter to faculty from Provost John Etchemendy.

"Among a smattering of concerns from a number of winter courses, one faculty member reported allegations that may involve as many as 20 per cent of the students in one large, introductory course," Etchemendy said in the March 24 letter.

Etchemendy went on to remind faculty members of their responsibility to discuss with students the seriousness of cheating - and the consequences. A first offence can result in a student being suspended for one quarter.

Although the Stanford allegations may have surprised some, for many others they cemented the belief that a culture of cheating pervades higher education. Harvard, Dartmouth, the Air Force Academy and other prominent institutions have recently grappled with allegations of large-scale cheating.

Studies find that students feel under more pressure than ever to succeed and increasingly see cutting corners as nothing serious. And they are being aided by cheating-friendly technology. Etchemendy alluded to those challenges.