by Robert A. J. Gagnon, Ph.D.
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, gagnon@pts.edu

I am a professor at a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) seminary. Let’s suppose I make the following announcement in a class at the start of the term:

Class, you are, of course, obliged to follow the requirements for classroom behavior and work outlined in the Seminary’s Student Handbook. I won’t take up class time by enumerating these. You are responsible for reading the Student Handbook so that ignorance is no excuse. However, among all the requirements listed therein I will single out one in particular for special mention: If you are caught cheating on an exam in this course or plagiarizing in your term paper you will not merely receive a failing grade for this course but, in accordance with Student Handbook policy, be subject to “immediate dismissal by action of the faculty.” So don’t do it. Enough said. Let’s move on to more pleasant subjects.

Suppose that, after making such an announcement, a student concluded: “Dr. Gagnon has given us no clear indication that he regards compliance with the code of academic honesty as an absolute essential for the course.” Could this be regarded as a reasonable interpretation of my action in singling out the Seminary’s policy on cheating and plagiarism from amongst all other requirements? I would suggest that no sane person interpreting my words reasonably could possibly come to such a conclusion.

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