2012 Harvard cheating scandal
[1][4][6] Platt reported the suspected plagiarism in a letter to administrative board secretary John "Jay" L. Ellison on May 14.
[25] The similarities were first noticed in answers for the bonus short answer question "Describe two developments in the history of Congress that ostensibly gave individual MCs [members of Congress] in the House greater freedom and/or control but ultimately centralized power in the hands of party leadership.
"[25] Some students picked the "somewhat obscure" pair of the Cannon Revolt of 1910 and Henry Clay and "all the answers use the same (incorrect) reading of the course material in arguments that are identically structured.
[27] Peter F. Lake, a Stetson University College of Law professor, and Harvard alumnus, estimated that it would take approximated fifty hours per student totaling "essentially one administrator’s entire year of energy.
[1] Dean of undergraduate education Jay M. Harris justified the announcement as a springboard to raise awareness and a teachable moment.
[4][28] A senior under investigation dismissed this explanation, writing, "Harvard chose to go public with this story to first and foremost save their own asses.
[32] IvyGate published rumors that the administrative board developed a "tiered punishment scheme" based on general classes of collaboration but Faculty of Arts and Sciences spokesperson Jeff Neal stated that each case would be evaluated individually.
[36] Harvard biology professor Richard Losick calls the note "a severe punishment" and one suspected student describes it as "almost the kiss of death in the academic realm.
"[36] During their absence, students must "hold a full-time, paid, non-academic job in a non-family situation, for at least six consecutive months" before becoming eligible for readmittance.
[8][39] Smith's e-mail covers all administrative board cases for the past term without mentioning Government 1310 or the scandal, but a Harvard official said they were from one course.
[40] Harvard Crimson varsity team athletes will lose a year of Ivy League eligibility if they play any games and are forced to withdraw.
[53][54][55] In a telephone interview with the Associated Press, Harvard president Drew Faust said that athletes should not be set apart or given special treatment.
[28] One 2012 graduate now working on Wall Street told Bloomberg Businessweek "Dragging us into this investigation now, when we have financial obligations and jobs, seems very unfair.
[17] In the interest of "financial equity," Harvard calculated tuition refunds for all required withdrawals based on September 30, 2012.
[8] Harvard Extension School students wrote to The Boston Globe and GovLoop to debunk claims that Platt encouraged collaborating on exams.
"[63] Experts said that Harvard can be sued for procedural errors, lost employment opportunities or intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress.
[37][40] Robert Peabody, an attorney for two students said the process was too slow and calling it "death by a thousand nicks", "living torture", "basically hell" and "twisting in the wind.
[67] An honor code was drafted by Harvard's Committee on Academic Integrity and adopted on May 6, 2014 by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences by "overwhelmingly" positive vote.
[68] Colin Diver, former president of Reed College writes that an "Honor Principle" must be the basis of a culture of academic integrity.
"[74] Faust, Smith and Harris made statements regarding the investigation at the first Faculty of Arts and Sciences meeting of Fall 2012 on October 2.
[77] Thomas G. Stemberg, prominent Harvard alumnus and Staples Inc. founder, wrote a heavily critical letter addressed to Faust dated January 6, 2013.
[81] Editorials by The Harvard Crimson call out widespread confusion over the acceptability of collaboration as the scandal's root cause[82] and focus on extracurricular activity.
[86] Naomi Schaefer Riley writes in Bloomberg View that the scandal highlights problems in the college admissions process.
[88] Sarah Green writes in Harvard Business Review that a developed love of learning would prevent cheating.
[89] Forbes contributor Richard Levick blames Harvard for drawing out the investigation and failing to maintain confidentiality.
[93][94][95][96] Jonathan Zimmerman of the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University writes in The Christian Science Monitor that "poor teaching" encourages cheating.
[102] Yale College Dean Mary Miller discouraged instructors from using take-home finals in direct response to the scandal.
[112][114] On April 2, 2013 Hammonds disclosed that additional searches were run on the deans' two email accounts seeking communication with reporters for The Harvard Crimson.
[121][122] In April, Hammonds announced that her earlier statement had not been complete as she had failed to recollect a second email search, this time of the accounts of Allston Burr Resident Deans, academics who live in Harvard's undergraduate housing and advise students.
[123] The Harvard Crimson called on Hammonds to resign, stating: "Since Hammonds provided misinformation regarding the highly sensitive issue of email searches, and since she violated clear policy regarding those searches, her presence at the helm of the College stands as a roadblock to rebuilding trust between students, faculty, and the administration.
