The Ombuds Office A Discussion of Academic Integrity On Sunday morning I attended a workshop for Residence Leaders lead by Moira Cullen, an educational speaker. At one point, she asked the students why they were attending university. A handful said they were attending because they loved the learning process.
Increased competition appears to be one factor in the equation but there are others.
Adequate testing facilities and good procedures can discourage many potential cheaters. Some students cheat because the course material is beyond their academic abilities or they have poor time management skills. They may fail to take the initiative and seek help when academic problems arise. Smaller classes and a good relationship with the instructor appear to decrease the incidence of cheating. Overall, the reasons behind this phenomena are complex, and probably involve both broad societal problems and narrow campus related issues.