Spanish students received an email from Director of Portuguese and Spanish Julia Bussade outlining the details of an academic dishonesty investigation that, for some students, may affect the future of their GPAs on Monday.
“It has come to my attention that some of you cheated on [MySpanishLab] homework by using a tool that gives you the correct answer without any effort on your part,” Bussade said in her email to students. “I hope you understand that this is considered unethical and a violation of academic honesty; therefore, there will be consequences for those who used it.”
The Spanish department uses MySpanishLab to supplement students’ textbooks with online homework assignments.
Students resorted to a Google Chrome extension that filled in blanks with the correct answers.
While grading the homework, Spanish instructors noticed students completing the assignments in record times – sometimes 10 seconds or less. After investigating these cases, they realized students had been using unauthorized aid.
During a meeting last Friday, Spanish faculty members unanimously decided guilty students would receive zero credit for the chapters on which they used the shortcut.
“For now, that will be the only consequence,” Bussade said. “Students who continue to use this tool will be reported to the Committee on Academic Honesty, as cheating is cause for dismissal from the University of Mississippi.”
The M Book, the University’s handbook, classifies these cases as “gaining or attempting to gain an unfair advantage.” This category of academic dishonesty includes violating University policies by possessing a test before it is given, accessing computer files, using notes during a test or using reference materials not allowed by the instructor.
Bussade said Spanish instructors have to open the submissions for every single chapter for every single student, so it is going to take more time to determine the number of students involved.
“I could not even give you an estimate at this point,” Bussade said in an email. “It varies from section to section. There are instructors with two cases; others with ten, so it is really hard to say something. If I gave you a number now, it would be pure speculation.”
Bussade said she wished The Daily Mississippian would “give up” on investigating the MySpanishLabs fraud.
“The fewer students know about this, the better it is for their academic integrity,” Bussade said. “‘Out of their sight, out of their mind’ kind of thing, you know?”
Caitlynn Hamilton, a junior mathematics major, is among the students under investigation in this incident. Hamilton said she took the shortcut because she had trouble keeping up with the fast-paced learning plan in the class.
“I think we all understand this classifies as academic dishonesty under the M book,” Hamilton said. “But maybe the language department should take a step back and work out some kinks with their program across the board.”
Hamilton said she hopes the department can work on creating a more individualized program to ensure students feel equipped during class to better understand and complete the homework assignments on their own.
Hamilton said she can now only receive a maximum grade of 80 percent in the class, assuming she receives perfect scores on every other assignment.
“I think that the department should offer a longer re-assessment of the topics covered by the [student activities manual] and e-text activities to challenge students to do the work once again for themselves and redeem their grade slightly, not to the full extent,” Hamilton said.
A freshman international studies major under investigation started using the plug-in last semester after hearing about it from a classmate.
“I used it when I felt like I didn’t have the time to do all the activities because we have so many due each week,” the student said.
This student is in the accelerated and intensive Spanish course, but the student said she knew what she was signing up for and believes the punishment is fair.
“Even though the activities are really tedious and time-consuming, they are assignments that are designed to help the students learn,” the student said. “The students that actually do the work spend a few hours a week on these assignments, so I think I deserve a zero for activities that took me about 10 seconds to solve.”
This incident has become a sensitive subject for students and instructors involved. Some senior students might have to retake classes before graduating, and others will have to find a time to fit it into next year’s schedule.
The Spanish department declined to comment on the matter because it is still under investigation.
