Story was the Star Tribune's top front-page story April 6, and Yudof talked about the summit on channel 2's Almanac April 7. Despite Minnesota's strong economy, Yudof said, he is concerned about warning signs for the future. Also, a report last year by the Milken Institute listed the Twin Cities 22nd among high tech metropolitan areas by size, and not even in the top 50 when areas were ranked by concentration of high tech output. Regents Professor Tom Clayton met with Senate Consultative Committee April 6 to talk about the report of the Special Senate Committee on Student Academic Integrity. Report will go to U Senate April 20 for discussion and action in principle.
Central recommendation is to establish a new academic integrity office.
Mary Jo Kane said the committee heard that faculty members often suspect cheating but decide they don't have time to get involved. Under the recommendation, the academic integrity officer would do the investigation and the faculty member would be a witness. Paula Rabinowitz asked whether the academic integrity officer would have the expertise to track down plagiarism in all disciplines. Betty Hackett said students who are confronted about plagiarism more often than not admit it, and it is not necessary to find the original source but only to test the student's knowledge of the material. Another recommendation, which stirred heated debate, is that all blue books would include a statement for students to sign, saying that they have not cheated and they will report anyone they saw cheating.