You are the head of a faculty-student disciplinary committee, reporting directly to the Dean. An honors student is brought to see you, accused by a new, assistant professor of plagiarism. The accusation pertains to a page and half of technical material, which has been closely paraphrased in a take-home report. The student admits to using the source but insists that she had no intention of stealing the material, and she points to the inclusion of the source in her bibliography as evidence. And yet, she and you both know the strict rules against plagiarism, and according to the usual guidelines, this counts as a case of plagiarism. Under the existing rules, she can and ought to be expelled from the university.

This student has never been accused of wrong-doing before. She is a conscientious, energetic and possibly over-ambitious young scholar with a 3.75 GPA whom you have gotten to know and like in a number of more positive situations over the past two years.

The new assistant professor, on the other hand, has already gotten something of a reputation as a jerk, and his behavior in your office confirms that. He is adamant, and threatens to go to the upper administration or, if need be, the muck-raking and always on the lookout for moral foibles local guardian of decency, The Provo Daily Herald.

By the way, the student is a female, non-white, recent immigrant to the U.S., and is still not entirely knowledgeable or comfortable with the rules and ways of doing things in the American University. What do you decide to do with her?

Questions:

How much do the following considerationsweigh on your judgment?

CONSIDERATIONS FOR HONORS ACTIONS:

     1 - Not Important    5 - Very Important

The rules dictate what to do. 1 2 3 4 5

This will set an important example. 1 2 3 4 5

She has a high GPA. 1 2 3 4 5

She works hard. 1 2 3 4 5

She has a promising future. 1 2 3 4 5

You like her. (So do others.) 1 2 3 4 5

Her accuser is a snot. 1 2 3 4 5

Her accuser will cause big trouble. 1 2 3 4 5

She is a woman. 1 2 3 4 5

She is very attractive. 1 2 3 4 5

She is not familiar with the rules. 1 2 3 4 5

Other students are expelled on the same charge. 1 2 3 4 5

This will harm the student. 1 2 3 4 5

She is crying. 1 2 3 4 5

You plagiarized once in college (but didn't get caught). 1 2 3 4 5

You have certainly never done such a thing in college. 1 2 3 4 5

It's fun to punish people. 1 2 3 4 5

It's no fun to punish people. 1 2 3 4 5