During the fall 2011 semester, 201 cases of academic dishonesty were reported at Mississippi State University. By comparison, 271 cases of academic dishonesty were reported for the entire 2010-2011 academic year.
James Orr, director of the student honor code office, said the increase in reported academic dishonesty cases is not due to an increase in cheating. Instead, the increase is due to professors taking a more active involvement in reporting students who are caught cheating.
“Faculty members and other students are vigilant in reporting and discovering academic dishonesty,” Orr said. “Professors understand that a major part of deterring academic dishonesty involves reporting incidents and ensuring that students receive the appropriate sanction.”
Orr said sanctions for violating the student honor code could include receiving a zero on the assignment, lowered course grade, dismissal from MSU and/or the course grade of “XF.”
 
“An XF signifies failure due to academic misconduct on the student’s transcript,” he said. “An XF may be replaced by an F if the student successfully completes the academic integrity intervention program, which is a library seminar as well as an online course.”
To help remind students of the honor code, Orr said honor code signs were placed in every MSU classroom in 2007.
Jessica Wilson, sophomore wildlife and fishery major, said she thinks the honor code signs are helpful to some extent.
“I think they help reinforce (the honor code) to honest people, but maybe (the signs) are not effective at reaching the people they really need to reach,” she said. “I mean, I look at them and don’t cheat, but some people look at them and just see a sign on the wall.”
Peter Ryan, associate provost, said the honor code is not 100 percent effective in eliminating cheating, but it still helps dissuade academic dishonesty.
 ”I think it is critical to instill in our students the importance of honesty and integrity in life, and if the honor code helps instill these noble principles then I am a strong believer in it,” he said. “The system probably doesn’t catch all violators, but I believe that when cases are reported to the Honor Court, they are dealt with as promptly as is possible and with great attention to fairness.”
Orr said the penalties associated with violating the honor code are too severe to engage in academic dishonesty.
“Ninety-six percent of the students reported for academic dishonesty were found responsible,” he said. “It is much better for someone to receive a poor grade on an assignment by doing honest work than it is to fail a course or be dismissed from the university for violating the student honor code.”
Orr said the long-term consequences of cheating are graver than simply receiving an XF in a course.
“Attending college is a privilege that not everyone has. If a student cheats throughout their collegiate career, they will not have the knowledge that their degree implies that they have,” Orr said. “This could have harmful effects on society. Imagine how harmful it would be for a doctor to perform brain surgery if they cheated their way through college.”
He said it is imperative for students to understand what professors expect of them in order to avoid violating the honor code.
“It is important to understand your syllabus and talk to the instructor of the course if you have questions regarding an assignment or what constitutes (as) academic dishonesty in their class,” Orr said.