Blog #1 - Other (related to ethics discussion)

The case of the basketball player plagiarising made me think of a similar case at Lander University when I was an undergraduate student. One of my classmates did not think that the university attendance policies applied to him. He was a member of one of the larger, well-known fraternities on campus and a member of the Rugby Club (team). Lander did not allow students to miss more than 25% of classes without receiving an FA. Every semester he would go to his classes the 1st day to get the syllabus and would not come again unless there was a test. Mondays and Tuesdays he would stay in the library the entire time it was open and read the textbooks assigned to his classes. He had A's in almost every class and his attendance was never questioned until the last semester of his senior year. As a part of the exercise science program, you were required to take a one credit hour exercise elective of your choice. He chose to take Walk/Jog. This class was Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and an hour long. While in class you had to either walk or jog for the hour. You were allowed 7 excused/unexcused absences during the semester. It was an easy A. The only tests given were a test in the first week of class covering cardiovascular activity and a final exam at the end of the semester which consisted of walking/jogging a certain distance in a certain amount of time. He took the first test, showed up about 5 days the entire semester for class, and showed up for the final exam. His time finally ran out because he had chosen the wrong professor to pull this kind of stunt with. She was failing 2 other students in the class for missing more than 7 days of class, so obviously it would not be fair to fail them and not him as well, not to mention that he had also surpassed the amount of absences permitted by the attendance policy of the university. He thought that this was unfair and appealed the grade (FA). He also showed up outraged, in the professors office threatening her several times. He seemed to think that if he had gotten away with missing class all the time in other classes, that he would also be allowed to do that in this class as well. This professor however, kept her stand the entire time. After about 3 weeks of meetings with the board of trustees, and several appeals by the student, it was finally decided that the FA would stand and that he would have to repeat the course to receive his degree. Since he had to re-take the class over the summer, the school allowed him walk during the spring graduation ceremony. He earned his degree, but not without paying a high price. Therefore, I think that the professor should report the basketball player as school policies stated. He would be penalized for the class but in the long run, I think that he would still come out okay as well as learning from his mistake. I think that even though the basketball player plagiarised, the school would still try to work something out to keep him on their basketball team. He would be placed on academic probation (red-shirted) for a season by the NCAA, but would be back on the court the following season. The school would probably try to work something out for him to get the credit and financial aid that he needed, if he was that good of an athlete.