Officials at the University of British Columbia (UBC) said they are “aware” of a situation in which 100 students are accused of cheating on a Math 100 midterm – a course and test that were both conducted online.
The issue first came to light after a note to students was shared on social media this week.
“I am extremely disappointed to tell you that there were over 100 cases of cheating,” the note reads.
According to UBC Director of University Affairs Matthew Ramsey, the consequences of these actions for the students can vary from a warning to a zero on the test, a zero in the course, or even suspension or expulsion.
He noted that since courses went online in March at the beginning of the pandemic, the university has taken steps to ensure the integrity and security of all online courses, and this incident isn’t an indicator of anything that is necessarily lacking.
“We have taken steps to try and ensure academic integrity and continue to monitor the efficacy of those steps,” he told Daily Hive.
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Beyond just the immediate consequences of their actions with this exam, Ramsey said that cheating at this level can also result in greater challenges with potential future courses.
“If students in entry level courses take this kind of action, they may face significant challenges in later courses when it becomes apparent that they may not have learned the basics needed to move forward,” he said.