Fostering Academic Integrity: Challenges and Achievements at the University of Guelph May 15, 2002 Peter Clark Hall, University Centre Academic integrity has become a focus of concern for North American universities. Larger class sizes, availability of prepared papers on the internet, increased competitive pressure on students for high grades, and complex reporting and judicial systems for dealing with misconduct are only a few of the factors contributing to this problem. The 2002 TSS conference will address the full scope of this issue by presenting the results of current studies on academic misconduct (including results from a study at the University of Guelph), the causes of academic misconduct, and the various mechanisms used by institutions, students, and faculty to successfully address this issue. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on the information provided and to participate in discussions concerning any changes that might be made at the University of Guelph to better support a culture of academic integrity. The conference will be followed by a series of post-conference workshops, which will provide the opportunity to explore many of the issues raised in a more in-depth manner. "The longer students spend in environments that support cheating, the more prone they will be to develop long-term habits of cheating." Sally Cole & Elizabeth Kiss. 2000. "What Can We Do About Student Cheating," About Campus. May-June. Pp 5-12. "Students hear strongly worded admonitions about academic cheating and receive statements and rules about behavioral expectations; however, they seldom get the opportunity to discuss the meaning of academic integrity and to explore practical situations involving the ethics of scholarship....Consequently, it is the peer culture that gives most new students their most intensive and practical orientation to academic ethics in college." Jon C. Dalton. 1997. "Creating a Campus Climate for Academic Integrity," Academic Integrity Matters, eds. Burnett, Dana D., Karen O. Clifford and Lynn Rudolph. National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. "For many [students], the failure of their college or university to maintain a system of fair and equitable competition in the classroom seems to be the only justification they need to rationalize cheating." McCabe, Donald L. and Gary M. Pavela. 1997. "The Effect of Institutional Policies and Procedureson Academic Integrity, "Academic Integrity Matters,eds. Burnett, Dana D., Karen O. Clifford and Lynn Rudolph. National Associationof Student Personnel Administrators.   Sponsored By: Teaching Support Services , McLaughlin Library and the Learning Commons. Archived Materials T&Li 2001, 2000, 1999.