The Integrity Blog

Written by Evelyn Nam, Student Integrity Ambassador
Procrastination is one thing students should try to avoid so that they can achieve their academic goals.

As the semester begins, students are most likely to organize the semester schedule based on their course syllabus. This period can be stressful and exciting at the same time for most students. For those who want to finish the semester strong, it would be good to organize your plans for the final assignment or exam, and therefore avoid procrastinating.

Negative Impacts of Procrastination:

1. Ruins Academic Performance

Procrastination can cause a variety of issues for students academically. When students start to procrastinate, they will not have enough time to work on the assignment. Sometimes, students cannot achieve their best results on the assignment and submit it because they are running out of time. If the assignments are a large portion of the course grade, it will impact the course grade as well. Additionally, procrastinating on studying can cause a bad quiz or exam grades, which can have a major impact on your final grade.

2. Causes Violations of Academic Integrity

Students violate academic integrity by using online sources when they do not have enough time to work on their assignments or study for exams by procrastinating. If this kind of situation repeats, students will get used to using online sources in their work without trying themselves. It is basically cheating themselves by not giving themselves enough time to study, which can lead to academic integrity violations.

Here are several ways to avoid procrastination:

1. Check your assignment due dates in advance!

It would be better if you checked the due dates of your assignments regularly. The best option is to write down all the due dates of your assignments right away after you get your syllabus with your assignment’s due dates. The benefits of knowing due dates in advance are that you can prioritize the work and start to work ahead of time. Then, you will have enough time to finish your work and go over it several times if you want to. Even though you wrote down all the due dates, you have to pay attention to announcements just in case they change the due dates for assignments. Using a planner or mobile calendar is a good way to track your schedule regularly and revise it conveniently.

2. Clarify priorities when you set up the plan!

Even though you write a to-do list in your planner, each task takes a different amount of time and effort to finish. It should be a priority to work on specific assignments first. I would recommend picking the task that is urgent and can be done quickly for the first one to work on. If you start to work on a task that takes a long time to finish, you might get delayed in finishing other work because you cannot assume how long it will take. Also, breaking down each assignment into smaller tasks is helpful as well. Using the planner will make it easier for students to visualize how much work each assignment might take.

3. Ask for help!

Don’t worry if you do not know how to prioritize and write a planner. There are a lot of resources where you can get help. If you have any questions about how to set up the plan in a specific course, do not hesitate to ask your professors or teaching assistants. They can help you prioritize the assignments or exams by the grading scale. Also, they might be able to provide you with tips for success in that course as well. It is always better to ask for help instead of procrastinating or violating academic integrity.

Sometimes, it is not always about academics. Students struggle for various reasons in college. The University at Buffalo offers different kinds of counseling services for students for free. Even though you do not want to go in and get help, they also have a lot of resources to support students. Here is the link for University at Buffalo counseling services: https://www.buffalo.edu/studentlife/who-we-are/departments/counseling.html

Even if you’re already having a hard time with your academics at the beginning of the semester, you have enough time to resolve the problem before the end of the semester. I hope this blog is helpful for you to manage your time. Welcome back to school and have a wonderful semester!

Written by Hakem Saeed, Student Integrity Ambassador

Integrity holds great importance when applying to medical school, PA school, dental school, pharmacy school, or any other health-related professional school. To better understand integrity, it’s essential to understand what it entails. Honesty, trustworthiness, and acting in good faith are some things that come to mind when thinking about integrity. These qualities are fundamental for health professionals in earning and maintaining the trust of both patients and their families, as well as fellow colleagues.

As a pre-health student, every decision you make in your undergraduate years will shape your journey towards securing that spot in your desired professional school. Grades seem to be the biggest stressor for many pre-health students, and rightfully so, as grades are the first thing that admissions teams look at when evaluating a candidate. This could sometimes lead students to do things that could potentially hurt their chances of achieving their goal to become a health provider.

Explaining a bad grade in a medical school interview is much easier than having to explain an academic integrity violation. This blog will hopefully shed some light on how to avoid being in a position where you could face such a violation and to stop you from getting into the pre-health school of your choosing.

1. Stay on top of your schedule in terms of assignments, quizzes, and exams.

One of the biggest reasons why some students violate academic integrity is due to them not having enough time to complete an assignment or study for a quiz or exam. Under this stress, some students think their only option would be to cheat by using AI to write their term paper or utilizing online sources such as Chegg to complete an assignment. By doing this, students cheat on themselves by not giving themselves the opportunity to grasp the content, and even facing an academic dishonesty violation.

2. Seek help from your professors, TA’s and peers.

As a pre-health student, many of the courses needed are hard and students oftentimes struggle in them. Utilize your resources to get the help you need in that dreadful organic chemistry class and to avoid even thinking of cheating yourself by typing that homework question into Google.

3. Study, study, STUDY.

I don’t think any pre-health student would need me to tell them how important studying is. Throughout high school, I never really needed to study and still managed to make it through my classes. However, in college this will not cut it. Learning how to study is an essential part of being a pre-health student, as this won’t end when you put that white coat on. Sharpen your studying now so you can thank yourself in the future.

4. Have fun!

The journey to a professional health school is a marathon, not a sprint. By mastering tip 1, you will also be able to make some time to destress. Enjoy the years of undergrad before you begin the real grind.

Written by Kiara Wisniewski, Student Integrity Ambassador

As the semester starts to speed up, it’s crucial to maintain the keys to success. But, what are the keys to success? The keys to success are the resources you have available to you, and what you can do with them. I’m sure everyone has been told there are resources, but what exactly are they, and why should you use them? 

Resources are here to help you succeed. Whether it’s a professor’s office hours, tutoring, or study centers, UB has many resources for students. They are available if you want them, but not necessary. You should take advantage of these opportunities because it may help you to feel less stress, pressure, or frustration when completing assignments. Creating a plan for your semester will allow you to set aside and focus on school before it’s midterm time and suddenly everything feels so fast. 

• Print out or save copies of your syllabi. This will make it easier for you to look back on, and you can also annotate it. Highlighting important things to remember is a great way to help you for later in the semester! 
• Create an assignment tracking system. Whether this is Google Sheets, a planner, a digital calendar, or checking your syllabi, every week tracking systems are super helpful! This will help ensure that you are staying on track and making deadlines.
• Create a time management plan -  when to work on what homework, when you are going to study, what office hours to attend, etc. Allow yourself ample time to study and utilize resources like Tutoring and Academic Success Services (TASS), the Center for Excellence in Writing, and Math Place. 

• Reach out to peers in your classes. These connections may help you to establish a study group. 
• Join Study Buddy groups through Navigate. These study groups are specifically for your class sections and are a good way to establish study habits!
• Visit the Tutoring and Academic Success Services on campus. That way, if you need tutoring, you’ll know if they offer your classes and when you can go.

It may be easy to push things off, but then it can get more tempting to resort to things like cheating or plagiarizing. When students are stressed or overwhelmed, that’s often when it gets harder to maintain academic integrity. However, if you set yourself up for success by sticking to a plan and using available resources, it can deter you from considering actions that might compromise your academic integrity. 

Written by Maria Disorbo, Graduate Assistant

“Only three more weeks!” I’m sure I can’t be the only one telling myself this everyday as the final projects start piling on and final exams are looming in the distance. Although this time in the semester can be very stressful and hectic, it is important to complete your work with integrity. Here are some tips to strengthen your study skills to finish the semester strong.

1. Find a good study spot! UB has so many study spots around campus, the trick is finding the one that works best for you. Some of my favorite spots on campus are silent study in the Silverman Library, the student lounge in Cooke Hall, the newly renovated areas in the Natural Sciences Complex, and the terrace of SU. Find a free hour and wander around campus to find the best spot that works for you. Finding an area that you like and will keep you focused will help you be more productive with studying for final exams.
2. Take Breaks! When you sit down to study you may feel like you need to study for hours and hours on end, but that is not very productive. I recommend using the Pomodoro Technique. This technique allows breaks after periods of working. The standard pomodoro technique calls for 25 minutes of uninterrupted work followed by a 5-minute break. This is one work interval. After repeating this work interval 4 times, your 5-minute break can be extended to 15-30 minutes. Keep in mind that this timing may not work for you, and you may need to adjust the times. Maybe you like working for a longer period to not break your momentum – you could try 50 minutes of uninterrupted work followed by a 10-minute break. You can either use your phone timer or look up a pomodoro timer to time your work and break times.
3. Space out your studying. Try to look at the material on your exam a few weeks prior to your exam. With this you can break the information up into topics and study a different topic each week. This will prevent you from cramming the night before and therefore will help you remember the information for much longer after the exam is over.
4. Ask for help! Never be shy to ask for help from a professor, TA, or friend. The course staff is there to help you succeed in the course you are taking. If there is anything you have a doubt on post on your course Piazza page or send an email to the course staff. That is what they are there for!
5. Take care of yourself. Finals can be extremely stressful for everyone, but you need to remember to take care of yourself. Plan time into your study schedule for breaks, fun activities, and self-care. Make sure you are eating well and getting plenty of sleep. Try to plan exercise into your regular routine. If you find yourself struggling in any way, please reach out to UB’s counseling services at 716-645-2720 (press “2” if you are calling outside of normal hours to be connected to a crisis counselor). If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency call UBPD at 716-645-2222. For more information on UB’s counseling services visit their website: https://www.buffalo.edu/studentlife/who-we-are/departments/counseling.html.

References

https://www.buffalo.edu/studentlife/who-we-are/departments/counseling.html

https://www.coursera.org/articles/study-habits

https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/pomodoro-technique#:~:text=The%20Pomodoro%20Technique%20is%20a,tomato%20(plural%3A%20pomodori)

Written by Xinyi Zheng, Student Integrity Ambassador

With the release of Artificial Intelligence systems - like ChatGPT - it is not surprising to hear students using them for unethical purposes like writing papers for their classes. In response to this, Turnitin has recently announced its ability to detect Artificial Intelligence (AI) writings, including ChatGPT. For those that are unfamiliar with Turnitin, it is a large company "dedicated to ensuring the integrity of education and meaningfully improving learning outcomes" and it is used by many educators and institutions globally to check whether the work submitted comes from an individual's original work. Some students may think that having another detection tool would not change anything or affect them because there have been other tools developed in the past soon after the release of ChatGPT.

Turnitin stated that its technology team had been working on AI detection tools for almost two years before ChatGPT was released to the world, and based on the collected data, this AI detection tool can be used to check ChatGPT with a confidence level of up to 98 percent and with a low false positive rate. Current Turnitin educator users can now access it freely and globally without additional steps. The AI writing detection tool is able to generate a Similarity Report with the AI writing indicator on the side stating a percentage of the submission that has been determined to be AI-generated.

It is understandable that some professors may incorporate AI tools in their curriculum, such as ChatGPT, but that doesn’t mean you should rely on it for everything and always use it with caution. When in doubt, check with your TA or instructors to avoid any possible violations. Also, ChatGPT does not provide accurate information or use up-to-date sources in its writing, nor does it possess human-acquired critical thinking skills, so professors can easily detect with the help of Turnitin detecting tools. Some people might argue that ChatGPT will soon be more advanced, and not have to worry about these problems, but detection tools can also be more advanced. Hopefully, this will make the students think about the true values behind learning and taking their work seriously and honestly.

If you have any questions about the policies, violations, or concerns, stop by the Office of Academic Integrity at 255 Capen Hall or at our upcoming Academic Integrity to Professional Integrity workshop on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, @7-8 p.m. in NSC 228 to chat with our Graduate Assistant and Student Integrity Ambassadors.

Sources:

https://help.turnitin.com/ai-writing-detection.htm 

https://thecheatsheet.substack.com/p/turnitin-turns-on-ai-text-technology

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/04/03/turnitins-solution-ai-cheating-raises-faculty-concerns

https://www.turnitin.com/press/turnitin-turns-on-ai-writing-detection-capabilities-for-educators-and-institutions-southeast-asia

Written By Vanesa Rodriguez, Student Integrity Ambassador

1. The Cornell Method: This method is a popular note taking method that is divided into two vertical sections with a bottom section. Benefits of this would be writing keywords, questions you have, key thoughts and an overall summary of your notes.
2. The Mapping Method: This method is a bit more visual compared to the other two methods. Using this method consists of writing the main topic at the top of your notes, with subtopic branches connecting to the main topic, similar to a flowchart. This is a great way to organize connecting subtopics and relevant notes to each other and also gives you a visual perspective of your notes.
   
3. The Outline Method: This method consists of writing down a main point or main idea, a supporting idea, and bullet points elaborating on anything you wrote. This is best suited for summaries, projects and presentation ideas.

Example:

• Main title
• Subtopics
• Elaborating and expanding on each subtopic

Some more tips:

• Try writing out your notes instead of typing them
• Review your notes within the same day you write them. “Students who reviewed their notes within a day recalled about 75% of what they'd been taught.”

Sources:

https://www.educationcorner.com/the-forgetting-curve.html

https://lsc.cornell.edu/how-to-study/taking-notes/cornell-note-taking-system/

https://www.utc.edu/enrollment-management-and-student-affairs/center-for-academic-support-and-advisement/tips-for-academic-success/note-taking

Wrriten by Unnati Agarwal, Student Integrity Ambassador

The stress of having to meet deadlines and produce high-quality work is something we college students are all too familiar with. It is simple to lose sight of academic integrity in the hustle. The repercussions of academic dishonesty can be severe, ranging from receiving a zero on an assignment to being expelled from the university. Here are some helpful hints for preventing plagiarism and upholding academic integrity.

1. Be aware of what plagiarism is: Plagiarism is the act of using another person's words, ideas, or works without properly citing/acknowledging them. It involves paraphrasing someone else's work without giving them credit, buying essays online, and copying and pasting text from websites, books, or articles without citing the source. All published and unpublished material and the use of artificial intelligence without permission is considered plagiarism and can lead to disciplinary actions.
   
2. Don’t wait until the deadline: If you want to avoid plagiarism, procrastination is a formula for catastrophe. To prevent the temptation to cut corners, getting started early and planning your task is usually preferable. Make a schedule for your assignments and establish daily attainable targets.
3. Start with a fresh mind: When you are reading your source, make good notes in your own works. After reading your sources, clear your mind by taking a short break and then start jotting down your ideas and drafting your essay. This is a good trick to write your own work and not copy from the source. Make sure to cite any paraphrased sentences in your writing.
4. Know your citations: Different professors have different requirements, and there are many forms of citations, like APA and MLA. Familiarize yourself with their formats (Purdue OWL is a good resource: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/). Make sure you are writing your citations on your own because online generators are maybe incorrect and have missing information. Also, citing sources you are not allowed to use would be academically dishonest, so avoid using them.
5. Proofread and check: Always proofread your work to ensure it is error-free and original. I would recommend using plagiarism detection software to find any unintentional plagiarism. I personally use Grammarly and find it very helpful. These tools compare your work to a vast library of academic sources and point up any instances in which you might have unintentionally copied someone else's ideas.

References

https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/skills/plagiarism 

Written by Aditi Patel, Student Integrity Ambassador

Can you believe that we are almost at the halfway point of the semester? This can be a challenging time since assignments and exams will be piling up and you may feel as though there is no more motivation left to complete them. The good news is that spring break is only 3 weeks away, so we all have that to look forward to! Here are some tips to help you keep up with the workload and to prevent any procrastination that may be trying to sneak in:

1. Find a good study location.
   Believe it or not, where you choose to study is important and affects the amount of work done. Try not to study in a loud environment where there are distractions. Places like cafes, parks, or shared spaces may seem like aesthetic spots but in reality they are not good options since you can easily lose focus and get sidetracked. Choose a location that is quiet and has good lighting. There are many places on campus that have silent study including Silverman Library and Lockwood 4th and 5th floors. Plus, if you consistently study in the same place, your brain will soon recognize this pattern and know that this is where you go to get your school work done. 

2. Set goals that are possible.
   One of the reasons why you are tempted to delay school work could be due to setting unrealistic goals. There are times in the semester where there is so much stuff to get done that it can get extremely intimidating. A way to combat this is to focus on small tasks. If you have a long assignment to complete, try to divide the work into smaller sections so that you can take your time and do not have to finish it all at once. Plus if you set smaller goals, you will feel more accomplished which will inspire you to get more tasks done. 

3. Study with a friend.
   Find a friend who you can study with so that you can push one another to get your work done. This is a tip that especially helps me when it comes to my own procrastination. I know that if I study by myself at home then I will get lazy and want to do other things instead like watching TV. However, if I am in an environment where people are studying - especially if I am there with friends - then it forces me to also get my work done without any distractions. 

4. Make time for breaks!
   One mistake that you do not want to make is to constantly either be in class or studying. While I understand that you want to get your work done, you should take breaks from studying so that you do not burn yourself out. An easy way to help with this is to use the Pomodoro method. This method allows you to study for 25 minutes straight and then it gives you a 5 minute break. After doing four intervals of this, it then gives you a larger amount of break for about 15 minutes. This method is used by many people and could help increase your productivity! 

5. Don’t forget to have fun! 
   College is supposed to be a memorable experience. Getting the best grades possible is definitely an important aspect to it but college is also meant to make meaningful relationships and to have a good time. Make time in your hectic schedule to enjoy yourself with friends and family. Try learning a new hobby, relax with friends, and stay physically active. Taking part in self-care activities will only help you in the long run and prevent any chances of burnout. 

Learning to manage your time is part of the college experience, and it is something that mostly everyone goes through. The tips listed above work well for me but it may not work for everyone. Understanding the reasons why you procrastinate will help you find a permanent solution to get rid of this bad habit. While developing good time management skills can be difficult, understanding the reasons why you procrastinate will help you find effective solutions to get rid of this habit and reduce stress and feeling overwhelmed.

Written by Tyler Gross, Graduate Assistant

The terms ‘ChatGPT’ and ‘AI’ seem to be dominating the news, social media feeds, and day-to-day conversation. Depending on where you fall on the techno-optimism spectrum, your feelings towards ChatGPT are likely to vary. One thing is for certain, 'Big Tech' sees potential in the technology. At the time of writing, Microsoft has recently integrated ChatGPT into Bing’s search engine and Google has released BARD, an AI chat bot of its own.

The ability for these technologies to generate text is extraordinary. But how does it work? These AI chat bots are known as large language models, a type of artificial intelligence used to generate textual data. These language models are a type of supervised learning models, meaning that they are trained on large amounts of textual data from the internet to ‘learn’ how to generate text. However, what sets new AI chat bots such as ChatGPT apart from previous versions was the introduction of reinforcement learning to the training process. Reinforcement learning involves humans providing feedback to the language model during training to make the model feel more ‘conversational’.

Although this technology has potential benefits to society, it should be used with caution. As a student, using ChatGPT or similar technology without the explicit permission of your professor is academic dishonesty. To assist professors from detecting such forms of cheating, technology is being developed to distinguish AI-written text from human-written text. There is also the possibility of AI chat bots providing misinformation, as the technology does not have the ability to recognize what is true and what is not.

To explore many of the resources available to you as a UB student, please visit our website.

Sources:

https://www.assemblyai.com/blog/how-chatgpt-actually-works/

https://openai.com/blog/new-ai-classifier-for-indicating-ai-written-text/

https://www.buffalo.edu/academic-integrity/resources.html  

Written by Maria Disorbo, Graduate Assistant

Welcome back Bulls! As we all are making our way back onto campus for the start of another great semester, the daunting feeling of another full semester can be looming. The start of semester can always feel overwhelming with learning a new schedule, meeting new professors, forming new study groups, and just getting back into a routine. The Office of Academic Integrity has some events coming up to help guide you in the right direction to a successful semester.

1. Syllabus Reading Night: Feeling overwhelmed by the 10 to 14 page syllabi you have been getting for every class? Stop by Greiner 116B on Thursday, February 2, 2023 @ 6-8 p.m. for our Syllabus Reading Night. The Student Integrity Ambassadors and Graduate Assistants from the Office of Academic Integrity will be available to work with you one-on-one or in small groups to read through your syllabi. We will help you understand all policies as well as identify key assignments for the semester. Struggling to set a good schedule for yourself for the semester? We can help with that too! We hope to see you there. Find more information and RSVP on UB Linked.
2. Is it Really Cheating? Misconceptions About Academic Integrity: Many students tend to start the semester without the full understanding of the expectations of academic integrity at UB. It is important to know the rules before it is too late. Stop by The Blake Center on Friday, February 10, 2023 @ 1-3 p.m. for an academic integrity workshop. We will be discussing why academic integrity is important, what can be considered a violation of academic integrity, and free resources on campus available to you to help you avoid these infractions. Come prepared for a lively discussion to help you understand our policy. Find more information on UB Linked.

More events to come including:

• Interi-TEA: How to Avoid Academic Integrity Violations
• Time Management Workshop
• Academic Integrity to Professional Integrity Workshop.

Keep an eye on UBLinked for details as they get closer.

Other academic integrity information:

1. Interested in becoming a student integrity ambassador? The Office of Academic Integrity has volunteer student integrity ambassadors that help promote academic integrity and educate the student body on the importance of academic integrity. Feel free to stop by one of our tabling events (Friday, March 3, 2023 @ 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in Davis Hall or Thursday, March 9, 2023 @ 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in Knox) or come to our information session (Wednesday, March 15, 2023 @ 2:30-3 p.m. in Baldy 111) for more information on this position. Applications go live Monday, February 27, 2023 @ 8 a.m. and will be due Friday, March 31, 2023.
2. Academic Integrity Awards: We are asking students to nominate fellow students, faculty or staff for an academic integrity award. Nominate someone you have seen modeling academic integrity, acting with courage while confronting academic dishonesty, or demonstrating commitment to integrity. Nominations are due Wednesday. March 15, 2023.

*For Faculty: Feeling like your class may need a refresher on the academic integrity policy? Feel free to reach out to academicintegrity@buffalo.edu to schedule a time for representatives from our office to come present to your class.

Written by Kyrah Milfort, Student Integrity Ambassador

It’s finals week and the pressure is piling on. Assignments are due, and time seems to be moving at the speed of light, but that doesn’t mean you have to be stressed! Your mental health should be your priority! There are plenty of healthy habits and things you can incorporate into your daily routine to keep yourself motivated. We know this can be a stressful time for most people, so here’s three stress relieving apps you can use on your phone to improve your mental health during finals!

1)      BALANCE: MEDITATION & SLEEP: This app is an essential tool in anyone’s arsenal, because it helps to focus the mind, and keep you present. The app contains many guided meditation exercises that could help you achieve your goals such as better sleep, feeling happier, or increasing your focus. All of the exercises are catered to you and your needs! For a limited time only you can use all premium features of the app for free for a YEAR!

2)      FABULOUS: DAILY HABIT TRACKER: This app will keep you motivated by making your daily routines fun! In the app you can create personalized daily routines to incorporate all the aspects of your life that are important to you, especially down to the smallest detail. For example, you could schedule in your showers and the app will remind you about it and even offer a choice of calming music to make your showers and daily activities more enjoyable! It’s a great way to romanticize your life during finals and keep you motivated!

3)      MONUMENT VALLEY: There is no kind of stress relieving activity like solving a puzzle! Monument Valley makes puzzle solving so calming and relaxing to the mind. Follow Ida, their main character, as she navigates “monuments” and teaches you calming life lessons along the way! Relax your mind as you test your abilities to think creatively outside the “box!”

These stress relieving activities are all so relaxing, but remember they aren’t a cure all! You need to remember to prioritize yourself and your mental well-being. Be sure to remain rested and hydrated, and be patient with yourself as you navigate finals!

Written by Vanesa Rodriguez, Student Integrity Ambassador

Have you seen our Student Integrity Ambassadors around campus and wondered what the position is? Student Integrity Ambassadors are volunteers for the Office of Academic Integrity volunteering 5 hours a week on average and gaining skills for their future! Below are things you will gain as a Student Integrity Ambassador if you choose to apply.

1)    Build your interpersonal soft skills: As a Student Integrity Ambassador, you’ll have the opportunity to give presentations about the importance of academic integrity to various classes throughout the semester, which can benefit you academically and professionally. Many classes, no matter your major, include presentations and many jobs value public speaking skills. You’ll be able to speak about academic integrity while also building your soft skills.

2)    Interested in Marketing and Outreach? Here’s a good start!: Being a Student Integrity Ambassador is a great way to start building marketing skills. You’ll have the opportunity to be involved with graphic design for event fliers and gain outreach skills through tabling and event planning throughout the academic year as well as writing blog posts.

3)    Learn more about integrity and educate those around you: As a volunteer for the Office of Academic Integrity, you will learn all there is to learn about integrity and its importance. You are the Office’s representation within the student body so it is important that you uphold the University’s Academic Integrity standards and educate those around you, including you friends and classmates! There are a lot of opportunities for you to reach the student body. The Office of Academic Integrity hosts a range of events throughout the year that you would be able to help with. They include syllabus reading nights, International Day of Action, stress relief nights and tabling events.

If any of the above sound interesting to you then being a Student Integrity Ambassador may be the position for you! The Office of Academic Integrity will be accepting applications for Student Integrity Ambassadors for the 2023-2024 academic year beginning in February 2023 and closing on March 31, 2023 so make sure to be on the lookout for it! If you have any questions about the position please reach out to our Ambassador Coordinator and Graduate Assistant, Maria Disorbo, at prov.mariadis@provost.buffalo.edu. 

Written by Aditi Patel, Student Integrity Ambassador

Eight people were arrested in Miami for cheating on their elevator repair certification exam.

That's right, you read that correctly…eight people were actually taken by legal authorities and into custody because they were caught cheating. 

Miami-Dade county ordered the arrest for the eight people who paid others to take their online elevator repair certification exam. They were charged with cheating and fraud under the Florida law that says, “Whoever is convicted of any gross fraud or cheat at common law shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree.” This is an appalling story to hear because it is the first time anyone in the United States has ever been arrested regarding cheating on an exam. 

Now, you may be wondering, “Why should I care about some random people in Florida who got caught cheating?”

While this story may not affect us directly, it should be in the back of our minds. 

Just imagine what would happen if you went on an elevator and it was to break down because the people who repaired it had no idea what they were doing since they cheated to get their certification. Imagine if a doctor had scammed their way through medical school, or if a pilot does not know how to fly an airplane. Now imagine what would happen if everyone in each different profession were to do the same. Do you think our society would be able to survive?

It really takes into perspective that academic dishonesty - specifically cheating - isn’t only important when you are in school. We have always been told at an early age to perform in our studies in an honest manner - to always use citations, never plagiarize, or never to copy someone’s work. However, what we tend to forget is that these habits do not end once we graduate from school. Maintaining academic integrity is important in our studies but also incredibly important outside in the workplace, no matter what profession you are in. The real world also relies on everyone to behave in an honest manner and there are real life implications for those who do not follow through with this. It is also crucial to understand that when you are dishonest, you not only jeopardize your own education or career, but also those around you. 

With the semester coming to an end, this would be a great time to reference the Academic Integrity policy to understand the ways to stay out of trouble. There are also many resources that are offered by our office to help maintain your integrity at UB. Some tips include attending classes on a regular basis, planning a study schedule, organizing your deadlines, managing your stress, and so much more! Join us at our upcoming Stress Relief Night on Thursday, December 1, 2022, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. in Davis 101. We will be handing out freebies and making coasters for your coffee (while supplies last)!

Remember, it is never too late to begin your integrity journey. Academic integrity is something that will follow you throughout your entire life, so it is important to maintain these habits to ensure a successful future not only at UB but also out in the real world!  

References 

The Cheat Sheet. “Eight Arrested in Miami for Cheating on Certification Exam.” Eight Arrested in Miami for Cheating on Certification Exam, The Cheat Sheet, 10 Nov. 2022, https://thecheatsheet.substack.com/p/eight-arrested-in-miami-for-cheating?utm_source=substack&%3Butm_medium=email.  

Written by Xinyi Zheng, Student Integrity Ambassador

Fall recess is around the corner, which means finals are approaching faster than it seems—having trouble balancing school and work? No time for personal life? Submitting work right before it’s due? We get it, but you are almost there, so let’s finish the semester strong by using some FREE apps and resources to help you stay organized!

1. Google Calendar: This is a great tool for you to organize all deadlines and schedules in one place, and some of the calendar apps even allow you to combine and merge tasks. For example, you can sync Google calendar with Apple calendar. Take out your syllabi and start adding all your exam and due dates, you can view it daily, weekly, monthly, or whichever way works best for you. To make it more personal, go ahead and add specific times for each event and separate them into different categories by class or color.

2. Google Keep/Google Tasks: Google Keep allows you to jot down notes/reminders and make lists. Feel free to set a title for each note, color-code it, and change the design to your liking. Just like its name, Google Tasks helps you organize tasks and deadlines because it is designed like a to-do list that also allows you to add specific dates and times. Both tools let you check off each box and give you a list of completed items at the end. 

3. Google sheets: Make a master to-do list for the semester. Simply list all the assignment deadlines and midterms by date and edit them as you move through the progress till you have fully completed the assignment. For students that prefer focusing on one task at a time, this may be a good way for you to feel a sense of accomplishment when checking off each box and moving on to the next row. 

4. Notion: There are many ways for you to customize the pages and layouts in Notion based on your needs and styles. Everything we have talked about above applies to Notion as well. You can create a daily/weekly/monthly planner, a master to-do list, or goals you want to achieve, whether it’s academically or personally. The more organized you are, the less stress you will have, and this may even increase your productivity on academic stuff as a student. Insert a quote to motivate yourself, be creative and add pictures, or create different pages for you to balance between school and personal life (Schedule the time you want to spend on working assignments and see if you can fit in a little break in between for self-care). Remember to balance and prioritize because Notion is to help you stay organized and eliminate wasting time, not making you busier and more stressed. There are many videos on Notion setups and tutorials on YouTube, some of the YouTubers even include free templates for people to use. 

5. Stickies: To all Macbook users, the built-in application Stickies may be one of the useful tools for you when it comes to organizing your to-do list for the day or week (Shortcut: command + space bar and search Stickies). Create notes for daily checklists or multiple notes for weekly tasks, you can open and collapse each sticky note according to the day of the week you are in, so you are not overwhelmed with all your tasks, but can easily access it on the screen. For example, Stickies have different colors available, utilize them by differentiating between school, work, and personal life or assign colors to each weekday. 

6. Printable weekly/monthly calendars: For those who prefer a physical copy over a digital one, don’t let your printing dollars go to waste. Search for free printable calendars on google or on Instagram to check out some of the study accounts that let you use their printable calendars or others for free. You can even make one yourself (For tablet users, download and bring it with you everywhere).  

These tools are all customizable depending on how you want them to be, but the main point is to help you stay organized with everything. Think about how proud you will be after checking all those boxes or the joy of seeing all assignments crossed off on your to-do list. Everyone is different when it comes to organizing, just because one method works for someone else doesn't mean it works for everyone. These resources allow you to better organize and balance between tasks, and if one doesn't work, try another!

Written by Tyler Gross, Graduate Assistant

The 7^th annual International Day of Action Against Contract Cheating (IDoA), organized by the International Center for Academic Integrity, will take place on Wednesday, October 19^th (ICAI, 2022). Contract cheating is the act of having your academic work completed by an individual other than yourself. This can include having friends or family complete your work, paying someone online to complete academic work on your behalf, or paying someone to take an exam for you (ICAI, 2022). Contract cheating, like other forms of academic dishonesty, can have negative consequences on the individual, their peers, the professor, and the university as a whole. The goal of IDoA is to inform individuals about what contract cheating is, how to prevent it on your campus, and educate students about the negative impacts contract cheating can have on their academic and professional career as well as spread awareness around academic integrity overall. The event is organized by volunteer groups, which include faculty from eleven countries and students from seven countries (ICAI, 2022). This year’s IDoA theme is Addressing Contract Cheating and Beyond in the New Learning Environment and includes a Student TikTok Contest in which students from all over the world will create reels generating ideas on how students and professors can promote academic integrity (ICAI, 2022). IDoA will be celebrated by campuses from around the world, including the University at Buffalo! The Office of Academic Integrity will be hosting tabling events in the Student Union on North Campus and Diefendorf Hall on South Campus from 10am – 3pm on Wednesday, October 19. Stop by either of the tables to sign an academic integrity pledge board, meet our Student Ambassadors, and collect some UB swag!

IDOA International Day of Action Against Contract Cheating (academicintegrity.org)

What is Contract Cheating (academicintegrity.org)

Written by Grace Verweire, Student Integrity Ambassador

It’s your first day at university and suddenly, you’re in possession of several single-spaced pages of information that your professor has provided. This foreign material may prove to be intimidating to new students, especially if you’re a freshman that has never encountered a syllabus before. What you might not know is that this particular piece of paper(s) may be your ticket to success throughout your college career. 

The purpose of the syllabus is to inform students about the content and structure of the course that they are taking. The syllabus can include academic information as well as a list or lists of resources available on campus that can aid in your academic success. Some of these resources include the Accessibility Resources Department, the Office of Academic Integrity, and the Center for Excellence in Writing. 

Arguably the most important thing on the syllabus is the course outline. Here, you will usually find a calendar of sorts that details the assignments and expectations for learning and understanding throughout the semester. A common mistake that students make is that after their first day of classes, they tuck their syllabus away, never to be seen again. Don’t be that student! Keep your syllabi on hand at all times, and if you happen to lose it, it is usually posted on UBLearns or a copy can be sent to you from your instructor. 

While the syllabus is important, what’s even more important is the information you take away from the syllabus. Being handed an outline of all the work that will be due throughout the course builds the foundation for success. If you choose not to build upon this foundation, you may have trouble getting ahead. 

It’s extremely important to have a planner throughout your college career! Whether it’s on paper or a digital entity, it is a vital and necessary tool to all students, everywhere. The syllabus and the planner go hand-in-hand. Using your syllabi to fill out the planner is usually the best route to take in terms of being prepared for the semester. If you’re struggling with planning out your deadlines, there are many resources available to help you, including your academic advisor. 

The syllabi are a great way to test the university waters. The process of planning can create an efficient mindset that can stick with you throughout your education. Building these habits now can produce beneficial results for anyone, anywhere, at any time. You never know when these skills will come in handy one day!

Below is a link to a list of resources available to you at UB that are included in your tuition:

https://www.buffalo.edu/studentsuccess/resources.html

Written by Unnati Agarwal, Student Integrity Ambassador

As university begins, all students set their goals for the semester, with the most common one being “getting a good GPA”. Here are a few tips and strategies to help achieve your academic goals.

1. Be present in Class (PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY) – It is very important to go to class even if attendance is not mandatory. This helps you to understand the topics taught and reduces your study time. Moreover, it’s important to pay attention in class and be free of any distractions. It is recommended to keep your phone away and listen to what the professor is saying. Taking notes in class is a great way to remember what was taught.
2. Do your homework (ON YOUR OWN) – Homework is usually a big part of your assignment grade and the easiest way to boost your overall grade. If you learn your course material after the class, treat your homework as a test and try to solve it on your own. This will not only give you exam practice, but also boost your confidence about the respective topic.
3. Ask for help (THE RIGHT WAY) – If you are having difficulty with the course content or homework questions, the University at Buffalo has various resources that can help you. The best one would be going to your professor's office during hours and course recitations. If you are more comfortable with student tutors, many resources on campus provide free tutoring for UB students.
4. Be consistent (DON’T CRAM BEFORE EXAMS) – In the same way, it is not possible to learn a new language in one day, it is not possible to ace an exam by just studying for a day. It is important that you learn the material taught in class the same week that it is taught because it will increase your retention capacity. Ideally, before exams, you should just be focused on revising the material and solving practice questions.
5. Take a break (SELF-CARE) – Make sure you are not overburdening yourself and that you are taking out time to do the things you like. Some ways to de-stress include going out with your friends, joining clubs and activities, watching your favorite TV show, visiting family, and pursuing your hobbies. Taking a break will help you recover from stress and allow you to be more productive in the future.

Following these tips and strategies and a healthy routine can bring you one step closer to achieving your academic goals. Below is the link for helpful resources on campus that are available to all UB students.

LINK TO ACADEMIC RESOURCES: https://www.buffalo.edu/studentsuccess/resources.html

Written by Maria Disorbo, Graduate Assistant

With the excitement and anticipation of what this semester will bring, there is always that feeling of doubt and being overwhelmed. For some of us this is our first time ever stepping foot in a college class. Many of us are away from home and on our own for the first time ever. How scary! Not for long. Breathe. You will find your groove. You will make friends. And with the tips offered here here, you will start off right and succeed this semester and the rest to come.

What do you mean they don’t take attendance? What do you mean I’m not in class from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. everyday? I’m responsible for asking for help if I am struggling instead of waiting for my teacher to approach me? Yes, there is a lot that is different moving from High School to College. Follow these tips to help make this transition just a bit easier.

1. Go to class! Although some classes may not take attendance and being in a lecture hall at 8 a.m. may sound daunting, go to class. You’ll tell yourself that you’ll catch up on the reading later and understand the material, but chances are you won’t. Being in class and listening to your professor’s lecture ensures you get all the material you need. When you are confused you can ask a question in the moment. You can hear simplified explanations of complex ideas that your textbook won’t provide. You can hear the material explained in multiple ways that will really help you grasp it. Plus, skipping one class averages out to about $50 that you are paying and missing out on.
2. Be proactive and plan! Although it may seem like a lot of leg work, being proactive about planning your time and looking at your semester as a whole will help. During the first week of classes take out all of your syllabi and your planner (they usually hand out free ones the first week in the Student Union if you are looking for one). Go class by class, write down all of your due dates for assignments and exam dates in your planner. Not only will this ensure you know when your assignments are due as you look at your calendar, but you can also determine when your busiest times in the semester will be.
3. Make lists! Thinking of everything you need to do can become very daunting. To help with this, take some time to make a list. Now this list may feel daunting. Prioritize what needs to get done, whether it is by due date or what is most important, like grocery shopping or laundry. Once you have a prioritized list, focus on one item at a time. While doing this try not to think of anything else on your list. This will help you focus and not feel overwhelmed or start to stress.
4. Start assignments early and ask for help! There is nothing wrong with asking for help. This can include going to office hours for help on starting an assignment or asking for an extension for a valid reason. The key to this is starting assignments early, or at least looking at them early to anticipate any places you may get stuck. The more time you give yourself between starting or looking at assignments and their due date, the more time you can fit getting help on them in your schedule. This also allows you to give yourself the proper amount of time you need to work on them and plan your time accordingly.
5. Get involved! Being away from home for the first time can be scary. One of the best things you can do is to get involved on campus. This will give you more things to do and give you a way to meet new people. UB can seem really big, so giving yourself a smaller setting to connect with people that have the same interests as you will lead to strong friendships.

Everyone at UB wants you to succeed! If you’re looking for any other resources that may help you throughout the semester, you can refer to the Office of Academic Integrity’s student resources. All of these tips will help you achieve with integrity here at UB. Check out some more resources by following these links:

●      8 Tips for Students Starting College, ThoughtCo.

●      Helpful Hints to Maintain Academic Integrity, Brandeis University

●      Common Misconceptions Video, University at Buffalo Office of Academic Integrity

Written by Grace VerWeire, Student Integrity Ambassador

Picture this:

It’s 10:30 PM before the midnight due date. You open the assignment - it’s an essay. After staring at the prompt on the screen until your eyes hurt, you take out a pen and begin furiously scribbling. Concepts. Ideas. Details. The barrage of endless relevant information before you becomes a thesis tsunami; everything connects somehow. At 11:45 PM, you slowly enter the final period in your conclusion paragraph, and breathe a sigh of relief. As you upload your finished product, something catches your attention:

“Must cite at least five sources in APA format for full credit.”

You quickly reopen the assignment in Google Drive. You open the UB Library Database. You enter some key words, pick the first three sources, and begin rapidly skimming for any relevant information. You pull several quotes that may or may not have to do with your thesis, using copy and paste. At 11:55 PM, You slap some quotes around them, copy the URL of the source, paste it under the last page titled “References,” and turn in the assignment with sixty seconds to spare. Three days later, you have an email from the Office of Academic Integrity. You have committed plagiarism.


Professional writing can be a real drag when it comes to citing your sources, but citing sources properly is one of the most important steps towards getting a good grade, getting published, or even just writing in general. When you cite your sources properly, you are not only respecting and paying tribute to those whose information you used, but you are also potentially avoiding a violation of policy, or worse, a lawsuit. Plagiarism is a form of theft. When you use another person’s research or information without crediting them, you are stealing hours and hours of hard work and by putting your name at the top of the page you are, quite literally, calling it your own. Even if you don’t intend to steal someone’s work; even if it is just a small homework assignment for a class that isn’t going to be published anywhere; even if it is just a sentence - it’s plagiarism, and it’s illegal.

It takes a lot of work, time, and skill in order to master citations, and there isn’t much wiggle room when it comes to errors. However, plagiarism is a completely avoidable mistake. In order to tackle this issue, you should familiarize yourself with the multiple forms of citations. Then, you should practice with each form of citation, and reach out for help if you need it. There are multiple resources available on campus for free that provide assistance when it comes to citations and citation forms, no matter what type of help you may need. The Center for Excellence in Writing and the Office of Academic Integrity are great places to start when you need help with citing your work, and they are completely accessible to all students on campus when needed.

This article will walk you through creating common citations in MLA and APA format - the two most common academic writing citation formats. Examples will be presented, and the format will be explained below each example.

Now let’s jump into the formats:

APA

APA stands for the American Psychological Association. It is most commonly used to cite sources when writing in the social or behavioral sciences. It has seven editions and many professors accept this form of citation.

Citing in-text:

“I want to know that I earned my degree honestly.” (VerWeire, 2021)

(Last name of author, year of publication)

References:

- Website

Verweire, G. (2021). Office of Academic Integrity. University at Buffalo. Retrieved 10 March 2022, from https://www.buffalo.edu/academic-integrity.html.

Author last name, first initial. (Year of publication). Page title. Website name. Retrieved (date retrieved), from (URL).

- Article

Sefcik, L., Striepe, M., & Yorke, J. (2020). Mapping the landscape of academic integrity education programs: what approaches are effective?. Assessment & Evaluation In Higher Education, 45(1), 30-43. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2019.1604942

Author last name, first initial. (Year of publication). Article title. Journal name, volume number(issue number), pages used. URL.

- Book

Bertram Gallant, T. (2008). Academic integrity in the twenty-first century: a teaching and learning imperative (5^th ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Author last name, first initial. (Year of publication). Book title. (Edition ed.). Publisher.

MLA

MLA stands for Modern Language Association. It is used most commonly in the humanities and literature. Almost all professors accept this form of citation. There are nine editions.

Citing in-text:

- Website/Book

“I want to know that I earned my degree honestly.” (VerWeire)

(Last name of author)

- Article

“I want to know that I earned my degree honestly.” (VerWeire et al.)

(Last name of author, et al.)


References:

- Website

Verweire, Grace. "Office Of Academic Integrity". University at Buffalo, 2021, https://www.buffalo.edu/academic-integrity.html.

Author last name, author first name. “Page title”. Website name, year of publication, URL.

- Article

Sefcik, Lesley et al. "Mapping The Landscape Of Academic Integrity Education Programs: What Approaches Are Effective?". Assessment & Evaluation In Higher Education, vol 45, no. 1, 2020, pp. 30-43. Routledge, https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2019.1604942. Accessed 10 Mar 2022.

Author last name, author first name et al. “Article title”. Journal, vol (volume number), no. (edition number), year of publication, pp. (pages used). Database name, URL.

- Book

Bertram Gallant, Tricia. Academic Integrity In The Twenty-First Century: A Teaching And Learning Imperative. 5^th ed., Jossey-Bass, 2008.

Author last name, author first name. Book title. (number of edition) ed., publisher, year published.


Now picture this:

It’s three days before the deadline. You open the assignment in Blackboard, and read it from top to bottom, twice. It’s an essay requiring five sources or more in APA format. You form a thesis surrounding the question in the assignment. Using keywords from your thesis, you use the UB Library Database to find relevant sources. You take the time to thoughtfully read the sources, enhancing your understanding of the content. You find quotes to bolster up your thesis and type them out, careful to put them in quotations when directly quoting, and cautious to include the in-text citation. The information before you becomes a flowing river of facts and supporting evidence, much different from the tsunami prior. You create a references section chock-full of sources - six, to be exact - and the last page of your paper becomes a masterpiece of APA formatting. With days to spare, you stop in at the Center for Excellence in Writing to make sure that your paper receives a peer review. Three days later, you receive an A, and you think to yourself:

“Worth it.”

Sources (cited in APA 7th edition format):

Bertram Gallant, T. (2008). Academic integrity in the twenty-first century: a teaching and learning imperative (5th ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Sefcik, L., Striepe, M., & Yorke, J. (2020). Mapping the landscape of academic integrity education programs: what approaches are effective?. Assessment & Evaluation In Higher Education, 45(1), 30-43. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2019.1604942

Purdue Writing Lab. (2022). APA Style Introduction. Retrieved 10 March 2022, from
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html

VerWeire, G. (2021). Office of Academic Integrity. University at Buffalo. Retrieved 10 March 2022, from https://www.buffalo.edu/academic-integrity.html.

Written by Grace VerWeire, Student Integrity Ambassador
Edited by Jeremy Raymore, Graduate Assistant

The beginning of the semester has surely come to an end as we enter our sixth week of the academic year! Fortunately for some, this means getting into a routine and building a schedule that can help them stay on track. However, it can be hard and sometimes even seem impossible for some students to come up with a comprehensive plan or schedule for the semester. It can be a daunting task: sitting down, pulling up countless emails, syllabi, and to-do lists of homework assignments and exams. Sometimes, this can lead students to become disorganized and miss out on important deadlines. The path of procrastination can lead students down a path of academic dishonesty as well.   

When a student is faced with the challenge of a rapidly approaching deadline, sometimes it can seem tempting to text a friend and ask for their homework answers or even purchase the assignment online. But one thing that students who fall victim to this behavior forget is the consequences that can follow it. Although it may seem harmless to copy a few answers from a friend, the truth is that you miss out on the practice that you need in order to achieve an honest degree. Your professors assign homework and readings in order to prepare you for not only upcoming classes, but your future career. Missing out on this preparation can be detrimental to your future. Also, by submitting someone else’s work, you’re not only putting yourself at risk of getting sanctioned, but your friend as well.

Here are a few personal habits you can practice to protect yourself from ending up in these situations and maintain your personal integrity:

1. Make a list. It may seem silly to think that lists can help prevent you from missing huge deadlines, but the act of writing something down, or even typing it, can help cement it in your mind and allow you to remember it better. Also, by making a list, you can see all of your tasks laid out in front of you. This allows you to re-order them, move things around, and check them off as you complete them. Nothing feels better than crossing off to-do list items!
2. Use a buddy system. You might not realize it, but your friends could be struggling with the same things as you are! Reach out to a friend, roommate or classmate to see if you can rely on one another to remind each other of the things you have to get done for your classes. Communicate with one another and reach out when you need help keeping your thoughts or tasks organized. You could also study in the same space so you both stay on task, also known as body doubling. Just make sure your work is your own.
   
3. Focus on only one thing. Sometimes when we have a lot to do, we tend to jump from one thing to another in order to get multiple things done at once. It’s best to avoid this situation; multitasking can not only lead to things not getting done, but can also lead to incredible levels of stress and even disorganization in the long run. Choose one task and focus only on that before moving to the next thing in order to stay on track and succeed.

There are many other ways to reduce the chances of you ending up in a situation where academic dishonesty could be at play. By staying organized, focused, and level-headed, anything is possible in your academic career. Remember, honesty is always the best policy! If you are facing burnout, communicate with your professors and see if together you can make a plan to get back on your feet with integrity.

Check out the Office of Academic Integrity’s student resources page for resources to help you stay on top of your studies, or take a look at the following external resources:

• How to Easily Stay Organized and Productive in College, College Info Geek
• Stack Your Habits to Achieve Academic Integrity, Wilfrid Laurier University
• Three Tips for Turning Academic Integrity Into a Habit, University of Manitoba

Kennedy Alexis, Graduate Student, Urban Planning, Class of 2021

So, it’s officially been a year since COVID-19 impacted the academic experience of us all. The transition to virtual learning caused us all lots of stress including Zoom fatigue, decreased privacy from living back at home with family, and the overall feeling of having no outlet to relax and de-stress because the spaces, once available to us, have all been closed. Like many of you, the stress and overload by our circumstances has left me feeling overwhelmed at times. I often felt depressed or anxious, and would question my path, as life wasn’t the same anymore. As the graduate assistant in the Office of Academic Integrity, I saw how this impacted the academic choices of many students at UB. Students did not know how to manage their feelings and often experienced difficulty accessing and expressing their needs for help to professors and teaching assistants. This led many students to use unacceptable resources for class assistance and/or participate in class group chats, both of which caused numerous instances of cheating over the past two semesters. In this post, I want to talk, not about cheating, but about what we should do in times where we experience adversity during our academic careers.

A tool that I’ve adopted during the pandemic to combat stress and overload is mindfulness. Mindfulness is the state of being aware or conscious of something. It is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us (mindful.org, 2020). Research shows that “mindfulness practice decreases stress and anxiety, increases attention, improves interpersonal relationships, [and] strengthens compassion” for students (Mindfulness Schools, 2021). An example of where mindfulness can be helpful would be when you’re stressed during finals week. The back-to-back exams and projects that is finals week can make us feel overwhelmed and anxious; mindfulness can help us take deep breaths and develop perspective to calm our busy minds. For example, through mindfulness one may learn that the pressure to receive an A on an exam is what’s causing them stress. Through further practice a student may realize that an A on the exam is not a representation of their intellectual abilities, because their abilities were shown throughout the entire semester. This realization can help calm the mind of a very anxious student.

In the Office of Academic Integrity, we understand that the role of a college student is inherently very stressful as students have to manage classes, stay involved in campus activities, and participate in work experiences. Although life may be stressful, committing acts of academic dishonesty is never the best solution for dealing with stress. In actuality, getting caught cheating adds another layer of stress and always leads to more serious consequences than doing poorly on one assignment. We want students to know there are free resources available to help them deal with stress; one resource is UB’s Counseling Services. The Counseling Services department offers self-help resources that teach students strategies for relaxation and de-stressing. UB’s Student Life Gateway is another resource which offers stress management and prevention resources to students. Lastly, the Graduate School has compiled a list of health and wellness resources, both on- and off-campus. For the rest of the semester, I challenge students to practice mindfulness, breathe, and do their best, especially in times of adversity.

“What Is Mindfulness?” Mindful, 8 July 2020, https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness.

“Research on Mindfulness.” Mindful Schools, 26 Aug. 2019.

Kennedy Alexis, Graduate Student, Urban Planning, Class of 2021

On Sept. 3, 2020, William & Mary College published a letter announcing that the college will be cutting seven athletic programs after the 2020-21 academic year. In this letter, William & Mary explains that the costs associated with sponsoring these Division I programs have grown dramatically over time and have become unsustainable. The letter further explains that the COVID-19 pandemic “has made [the] budget constraints acute and has brought [the university] to a point of reckoning” (William and Mary, 2020). Many universities across the United States took similar approaches to alleviating their increased financial burdens inflicted upon them due to the Coronavirus. This is not what brought William and Mary College to media headlines; it was that many sections of this letter were found to be plagiarized from an announcement made by Stanford University on July 8 about cutting 11 of their teams. Braden Keith from swimsman.com released images that highlight obvious parallels between the two documents.

In her Sept. 18, 2020, statement, Athletic Director Samantha Huge stated that it was her staff’s goal to “emulate best practices, not imitate” and that they “should have taken more care with the review of the materials shared”. The William & Mary Honor Code defines plagiarism as the “the presentation, with intent to deceive, or with disregard for proper scholarly procedures of a significant scope, of any information, ideas or phrasing of another as if they were one’s own without giving appropriate credit to the original source.” Following this definition, it is a bit difficult to understand that their goal was to emulate best practices when no credit was given to the institution whose best practices they were emulating. Huge, who holds a Juris Doctorate from Campbell University, has stopped working at William & Mary since October, but in her departure, she left a negative impact on the William & Mary reputation and her own.

As a student, the policies regarding academic integrity often feel biased as there are many formal processes that keep students accountable for their acts of academic misconduct, but very little or no processes that keep professors or administrators accountable for their actions. Students too often feel the consequences of academic punishment and to some extent it is warranted, as we are the ones preparing for our careers; but where is the accountability for professors and administrators who are in their careers? I think the William & Mary case shows us that there is a need for processes that also hold professors and administrators accountable. It seems that one stepping down from their position is the standard repercussion, but where is the lesson learned? At UB, students go through remediation to learn from their mistakes and understand how their acts of academic misconduct affect different people in their lives. When Samantha Huge stepped down, did she learn how her actions may have impacted students? I highly doubt it.

When students see acts of academic misconduct performed by professors and administrators it makes it difficult to create a culture of academic integrity on campus because these actions confirm the “everyone does it” phenomenon. “Everyone does it” is a common reason for cheating reported by students. Under normal circumstances, maintaining academic integrity when one sees their classmates cheating is difficult, but this William and Mary case could make it even more difficult for students. Imagine being a student that is struggling with an English assignment and is constantly pressured by their parents to receive high grades. After reading the article, one may consider that cheating or plagiarism is OK, because a school’s administrator did it, and many more may have also done it. For this reason, professors and administrators should all join the effort to create a culture of academic integrity on college campuses, not just as enforcers of policies, but also as followers. If academic integrity were more transparent and held all parties accountable, students would probably be more willing to abide by academic integrity policies because the standards are shared by all members of the academic campus.

Amid financial concerns, W&M to discontinue seven sports following the 2020-21 academic year. (n.d.). William & Mary. Retrieved November 16, 2020, from https://www.wm.edu/news/stories/2020/amid-financial-concerns,-wm-to-discontinue-seven-sports-following-the-2020-21-academic-year.php

Statement regarding communications about the future of Division I athletics at William & Mary. (n.d.). William & Mary. Retrieved November 16, 2020, from https://www.wm.edu/news/announcements/2020/statement-regarding-communications-about-the-future-of-division-i-athletics-at-william-mary.php

Section VI: Honor Code Violations. (n.d.). William & Mary. Retrieved November 16, 2020, from https://www.wm.edu/offices/deanofstudents/services/communityvalues/studenthandbook/honor_system/section_VI/index.php