J.L. Bailey is an unclassified graduate student. He can be contacted at [email protected].Exams are great. I revel in the opportunity to take these required instruments to assess a student’s progress and knowledge of course content.
Taking tests requires a few important elements: reading, studying, writing and/or hitting the correct keyboard letter for online testing.
It seems that there exists an additional element at Florida State: select an academic counselor who will schedule someone else to take your test.
Last week, Florida State University got itself into a little “uh-oh” situation when two athletics department employees resigned. This occurred when news spread that at least 23 athletes may have cheated on tests offered on the Internet.
These 23 Seminoles could face loss of eligibility to compete in their respective sports.
Last May, Florida State University President T.K. Wetherell ordered an investigation into allegations that a learning specialist employed by the athletics department had directed one athlete to take a test for another. Also, an athletics tutor had provided answers to test questions and other assistance.
Amazingly, all tests that I have taken this semester were located in controlled environments. That is, they were administered in the designated classroom. One class of mine is so large that assistants are in place to help the professor pass out tests as well as accept them when students finish. A valid student ID must be presented before exiting this classroom.
Wouldn’t want anyone taking someone else’s test, would we?
And certainly everyone receives equal treatment here at good ole MSU. No one receives assistance with tests. No one receives copies of tests prior to class distribution. We all have equal access to any assistance a professor or department may offer, don’t we?
I wonder if the Union that is not quite a Union will have a Student Assistance Office? It will most assuredly exist in a secure basement room with a secret pass code and require a retinal scan for admittance so that students facing a microbiology or cost accounting exam will be able to take a little peek-a-boo at the first 100 questions before the next day’s exam.
What would we do if revelations of this type of nonsense surfaced at our hallowed university?
Would we merely wink and nod? Would we contact board members of the Institute of Higher Learning, the NCAA or Channel 9 News?
Universities should be about academic freedom and equal access to services assisting students with their academic progress. This, however, does not include tilting the scale in favor of one person or group over another.
Should this ever occur at MSU, heads should roll.
Resignations should be tendered forthwith.
But this kind of nonsense does not happen here at Mississippi State, does it?