An unspecified number of medical students at Dartmouth College are now being investigated for allegedly cheating during their remote closed-book examinations.
A witness told school officials that students were accessing online course materials through the Canvas system while undergoing written assessment.
Dean of the Geisel School of Medicine Duane Compton explained that an investigation has already been launched following the submission of initial reports to the Committee on Student Performance and Conduct (CSPC).
“This is a circumstance that none of us thought we would be in. It’s not something we take lightly,” he told Valley News.
Dartmouth’s Vice President for Communications Justin Anderson also told Union Leader that “the extent of the potential infractions prompted the CSPC to conduct a review spanning the entire academic year. Past exam activity was included in the review to ensure fairness for all students, including those not suspected of violations but whose grades could be affected by any changes to scores of their peers.”
Compton refused to disclose the precise number of students being investigated. However, he revealed that first- and second-year medical students are involved.
If found guilty, violators may be required to retake the examinations or face more serious sanctions from school administrators.
“It depends on what the individual student was found responsible for. It’s not one-size-fits-all,” the dean said.
Meanwhile, an Instagram page has reportedly been created to express the side of medical students under investigation for cheating.
Some claim that the allegation has negatively affected their physical and mental health, as well as their ability to concentrate.
The College Post tried to access the page but it has already been removed from Instagram.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a rise in cases of academic dishonesty has been reported. The US Air Force Academy and the University of Oregon placed several students on probation in the wake of cheating scandals at the schools.