Letters

QUOTE/UNQUOTE "What a wonderful world it would be if everyone lived by the Ten Commandments, the Golden Rule, the Income Tax Code and the Academic Honor Principle. But that will never happen." —JOEL LASKY '54

The Cheating Problem

THE MOST DISMAYING FACT OF RICK Green's article ["A Matter of Principle," July/Aug] is not that some Dartmouth students cheat but that nearly half of them admitted to it, thus leading one to believe that the actual degree of cheating must be higher. Can an honor code—or any policy—that fails more than half the time be considered a success?

I find this increase in academic cheating similar to the increase in corporate malfeasance as exhibited in the recent Enron and World Com scandals. Because our culture demands material evidence of success from our elite, such lapses of moral integrity may be expected to occur especially among those who feel both more entitled to success and more threatened by failure to achieve that success in their assumed position in society.

In an academic environment of take-home exams and computer access to prefabricated essays on esoteric topics, is it any wonder that Dartmouth students, so unused to failure and unwilling to coun-tenance to, would so readily turn to cheating as an alternative to a negative and unfamiliar experience?

Students must be held to high academic standards as well as to the usual societal ones. And on a college campus that is the job of the faculty. If an honor code is to work, facile assumptions about the goodness of human nature must be balanced by our darker experiences. As a college professor I have seen far too many teachers who are either so wilfully unaware of students cheating (perhaps fearful of a confrontation) or so relativistic in their views that they think the cheater is hurting only himself. Every instance of cheating that is not stigmatized only encourages more cheating, with the result that in the marketplace of jobs after graduation the wicked are rewarded while the good are punished.

What is needed are conditions in which the cheater will not prosper. The fully proctored final examination can create such a condition, a final moment of truth when the student has no recourse to sources beyond his own hard-won knowledge and sharpened mentality, just the individual alone with a demanding task to be tackled with paper and pen. Let other course projects involve group effort and technology if need be. But are we not, at the end of a learning process, seeking to test what the individual student has, in fact, learned?

Holyoke, Massachusetts

"A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE MAKES clear that the honor code does not work. The article reports an attitude amongst students that one does not "rat" on known honor code violators, while those who would fix the problem would change attitudes. Even if some attitudes were al-tered, a fundamental question is not addressed: How are students to know that cheating is taking place? Perhaps they are too busy taking a test to monitor the cheater who is nonetheless affecting their grade. The honest students are being asked to perform the impossible. The bur-den belongs to the administration, which has the responsibility to all students to test them on an equal basis.

Two generations ago I was amongst those who defeated the honor code proposition for these reasons. Even if my rationale does not hold sway with the administration perhaps another suggestion might: Have a cheating survey every five years and then let the students vote on the honor code.

Peninsula, Ohio

THE JULY 26 ISSUE OF THE NEWYork Times contains two articles concerning academic honor. One reports that Auburn University faculty members and alumni are accusing trustees of unethi-cal conduct. The other, a front-page feature and hitting much closer to home, headlines: "Princeton Official Pries Into a Web Site for Yale Applicants," about which no less a person than [former Dartmouth President] Jim Freedman said, "It probably wouldn't subvert the Constitutions but it is competitiveness taken to a dastardly length." With the all-too-familiar role models of unethical conduct in politics, business, Little League baseball and now academia, I wonder how one can expect teenage college students to conform to a code of honor that is so contrary to the Zeitgeist.

Chatham, New Jerseybilbal49@aol.com

DOES THE HONOR PRINCIPLE work? The answer is: most of the time for the students themselves, and rarely when it requires squealing on a fellow student. This conclusion has been reached many times in many institutions by earlier surveys. The Dartmouth survey shows that dishonesty is more acceptable than it once was.

Denver, Colorado

DIOGENES, I HEAR YOU. WHAT A wonderful world it would be if everyone lived by the Ten Commandments, the Golden Rule, the Income Tax Code and the Academic Honor Principle. But that will never happen, because it's impossible to change human nature. From childhood on, at one time or another, in big ways or small, we lie or cheat or deceive in order to protect ourselves or to achieve our objectives. Probably the greatest motivation for being totally honest and honorable is fear of being caught and exposed or pun is hed.Sometimes that fear is supplanted by arrogance and the belief that we are above the law and exempt from ethical rules (ref: Washington and Rome). Let's not delude ourselves about the honor system. To expect it to work in school, let alone in the real world, is to suffer from naivete. Understand that when you turn a blind eye to those who break the rule, you are also breaking the rule.

Dallas, Texas

RECENTLY I READ JOHN SLOAN Dickeys foreword to Ralph Nading Hill's book, The College on the Hill:A DartmouthChronicle, published in 1964. President Dickeys tenure included the years I was at Dartmouth, and I found myself renewed in feeling fond of the man and proud of the College as I read his words about Dartmouth's unique commitment to the nurturing of conscience as a critical aspect of a liberal education. To those who argued that conscience was not an appropriate concern, he responded that the failure to make it a central concern would "expose the College to education's greatest danger—the creation of power without corresponding restraint and responsibility in its use." Now I read in DAM of the dramatic erosion of con-science on campus and, in The Wall StreetJournal, of the tragic consequences down stream of this erosion. I am still proud of Dartmouth, but I am also sad, angry and frightened. Thank God for the Tucker Foundation!

Columbia, Marylandjrhead@umaryland.edu

THE HONOR SYSTEM IS A MISGUIDED attempt at imposing moral standards. Paradoxically, articulating high standards and enforcing them through close monitoring are likely to do far more to instill principles of honorable behavior. Where there are sure, certain and swift penalties for wrongdoing, a culture of right con-duct is the natural outgrowth.

New York, New Yorkstsasi@aol.com

WHEN I ARRIVED AT STANFORD IN 1948 to take summer courses, I discovered the school used an honor system. It was quite a surprise to have the professor come into the exam room, pass out the papers and leave. No proctors, no supervision of any sort. We were asked to stop at a stipulated time and to leave our exams on the desk as we exited. I never saw cheating of any kind. I was impressed.

La Jolla, Californiao'neil63 @msn.com

Auto Aesthetics

THANKS TO PRESIDENT JIM WRIGHT for his constructive efforts to protect our hallowed campus and our beloved Hanover ['Academic Aesthetics," Sept/Oct], But if Dartmouth College is to be saved from over-building and over-peopling, we must go further. We must deal with the enemy: the automobile. Traffic must be diverted from the campus center by a new White River Junction bridge from Vermont to Route 10 and to a new hospital road continuing easterly to Route 120. Further in the future a bridge should be planned about three miles north of the Ledward Bridge leading from Route 91 in Vermont into a new "North Hanover," a shipping and supply center for the main town. Then lets close the Route 91 exits to the Ledyard Bridge, limiting West Wheelock Street to local traffic. Ah, the serenity of this new day!

Vero Beach, Floridaharoldputnam@cs.com

Recruiting Athletes

THE INTERVIEW WITH RETIRING athletic director Dick Jaeger ["We've Got to Go for It," July/Aug] suggests that Dartmouth is ensuring third-class status for men's football and basketball by offering "fewer admissions slots for

ath-letes...than any other Ivy League school." Several colleges and universities with very competitive admissions standards, such as Williams, Penn, Stanford and Duke, recognize the value of excellence in athletics and place a priority on recruiting bright athletes. Who would claim that competitive teams in men's major sports tarnish the reputations of these schools? What benefits accrue to Dartmouth when its mens teams are doormats in the Ivy League year after year?

Cullowhee, North Carolinawinters@email.wcu.edu

THERE'S A WAY OUT OF THE frustrating recruiting system. Simply stop recruiting athletes and allow "walk-ons" to play. They cost less in all respects, and I believe you'd be surprised at how well they perform.

The joy of walking on is that few strings are attached. If soccer appeals to a student, then let her compete. There is no hidden understanding that she owes the team four years. She may want to leave the team for some of the diversity the Dartmouth Plan promises.

Football? Forget those unhealthy body-bulking weight programs. Allow kids to play at their natural weight, strength and speed. Then we can truly say, "If you want to play an intercollegiate sport, come to Dartmouth. For slavery, go elsewhere."

Healdsburg, California

THE DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS AND the director of admissions and financial aid need to be held jointly responsible for the success of Dartmouth inter-scholastic teams within the Ivy League. They need to meet this challenge with incredible teamwork and competent approaches to get the student-athletes and coaches we need. If we are going to play in the big leagues, we can't be successful with minor-league leadership and commitment.

Sarasota, Floridabwellstead@comcast. net In the Rough

I AM DISTURBED BY THE DESCRIPtion of the Hanover Country Club as "lackluster" prior to its recent renovation ["New Par for an Old Course," July/Aug]. I played this course many times in the past 70 years and invariably found it demanding and exciting.

Trenton, Michiganwsroth@attglobal.net

Coach K

I TAKE OBJECTION TO THE portrayal of coach Tommy Keane by Robert Sullivan '75 ["The Tao of Cha," May/June]. During my four years at Dartmouth I played in every one of the Colleges golf matches. For the first three years Keane was our coach. While it is true that he enjoyed a beer or two, I can never recall an occasion when he sat around and had beers with us after a match. More importantly, Tommy knew a great deal about golf and provided his players with wonderful attitudinal and technical insights. He served the College honorably for 44 years.

Park City, Utahjmferraro@earthlink.net

Sea Tales

GOING ON THE TRIP TO THE SEA ["Different Strokes," May/June] was one of the best decisions I made at Dartmouth. It introduced me to a group of students I would never have known otherwise An added benefit of the trip was that there were young alums on it. There are so few instances while at Dartmouth to meet and really spend time with alumni. I cannot overstate how enlightening, helpful and fun it was to meet people who had recently gone to Dartmouth. I would encourage the school, the students and other alums to brainstorm on even more ways that we (alums) can stay connected with the students. It is great for all concerned.

Bethesda, Marylandbrooke.e.lierman.01@alum.dartmoutkorg

BRAD PARKS '96 CAPTURED THE SPIRIT of the Trip to the Sea. I vaguely remember stripping or something in Hartford on the three trips I participated in (in '81, '83 and '85) but remember more the camaraderie of accomplishing the paddle to the sea. Brad seems to be close to discovering the true meaning of life—find someone you love and spend as much time with that person as you can.

Moab, Utahdjmoab@lasalnet

Tower Power

IT WAS BECAUSE OF BARTLETT Tower ["My Dartmouth," Mar/Apr] that I came to Dartmouth. The summer of my junior year of high school I visited Yale and Harvard, then arrived in Hanover on one of those glorious early autumn days that only northern New England can offer. College visits in those days consisted of an appointment at the admissions office and self-directed touring of the campus. In the course of the latter I arrived at Bartlett Tower. Looking out from the tower across the campus to the Connecticut River valley, I knew then and there that this was the place for me. I've never regretted the decision, but I certainly do regret that Bartlett Tower is closed. So here's another voice for reopening it.

Washington, D.C.

Digital Gold

THE DIGITAL LIBRARY FOR ALUMNI ["Around the Green," July/Aug] turns out to be a gold mine. It is a new online service to alumni offered by the Dartmouth College Library. It is not that often that Dartmouth offers something this valuable to its alumni. For those alumni who still thirst for knowledge, the Digital Library is a tremendous resource. To try the service, go to www.northernlight.com/ dartmouth, and sign in. You will be hooked!

Kansas City, Missouriruhlmann@uhlmann.com

Remembering Finch: A Play in One Act

Time: September 1946 Place: Dartmouth College Setting: A freshman English class At rise: The first day of school and first classroom many of the students (World War II veti): have graced in several years. Enter the instructor, JOHN FINCH, 40ish, tweed sport jacket, elbow patches, bow tie. Vigorous good looks. Well-built. Recently discharged from the service, he has that aura of delight which people who love their work and are good at it tend to radiate. FINCH [pointing at random] Why did you decide to go to college? FIRST STUDENT My father and grandfather went to Dartmouth.

FINCH I mean why did you decide to seek a higher education? FIRST STUDENT [non-plusscd] Everyone in my family went to

college. FINCH {pointing at another student] How about you? SECOND STUDENT Why am I going to college? FINCH Yes.

SECOND STUDENT The GI bill. FINCH You're only going to college because it's free? SECOND STUDENT No. FINCH What then? ?

SECOND STUDENT It'll help me get a better job. FINCH [pointing again] What brings you here? THIRD STUDENT TO be happier.

FINCH [pouncing like a tiger] That's the answer I've been waiting for. [to the third student]; You think a higher education will make you happier than you'd be without one? THIRD STUDENT Yes.

FINCH NO! Everything you learn leads to questions. The more you learn—the more questions. Things you took for granted will be challenged and often overturned. Education breeds uncertainty. Happiness seekers should look elsewhere, [pausing to let his message sink in, then with a twinkle] There is a compensation: Education won't make you happier, but it will make you unhappy on a higher level.

That was my introduction to John Finch, brilliant teacher, generous mentor, treasured friend for more than 50 years.

Monroe, New York

Editor's note: English professor John Finch diedMay18 ["Obituaries,"Sept/Oct]. Gilroy is the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of The Subject Was Roses.

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