Detecting and punishing violations of research integrity requires first having to prove them. However, establishing proof of research misconduct presents a number of challenges. Firstly, it has to be conducted in a variety of contexts, including before research integrity officers, university disciplinary committees, civil courts, criminal courts,…

Very few parts of the world have legislation that prohibits the operation or the promotion of contract cheating services. This means that commercial companies providing such services can formally register and operate in most countries. If a student enters into an agreement with a contract cheating provider, what rights do they have to change their…

Contract cheating happens when students commission someone else to do assessed work for them. While it is already illegal in 18 jurisdictions, others are considering making the provision of contract cheating services illegal. To date, legal approaches to addressing contract cheating have faced little scrutiny in the peer reviewed literature. This…

The phenomenon of contract cheating presents, potentially, a serious threat to the quality and standards of Higher Education around the world. There have been suggestions, cited below, to tackle the problem using legal means, but we find that current laws are not fit for this purpose. In this article we present a proposal for a specific new law to…

Background/purpose: ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence program released in November 2022, but even now, many studies have expressed excitement or concern about its introduction into academia and education. While there are many questions to be asked, the current study reviews the literature in order to reveal the potential effects of ChatGPT on…

A growing number of states and local schools across the country have adopted educator evaluation and accountability programs based on the use of student test scores and value-added models (VAM). A wide array of potential legal issues could arise from the implementation of these programs. This article uses legal analysis and social science evidence…

2010 sees the end of the process of establishing the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Although not all countries may have achieved all the objectives, many are those countries and universities who have implemented many of the targets set. Within the Bologna Process, there have been many developments such as: European Credit Transfer and…

An editorial and condensed account of hearings and recommendations of the U.S. House of Representatives concerning "diploma mills" and mail-order degrees and credentials is given. (MSE)

A well-established market in prewritten research papers violates the ethical standards of every college, but it persists because selling papers is not illegal and the cost and difficulty of prosecuting a student suspected of submitting a purchased paper is prohibitive. (MSE)

Since its creation in 1992, the Public Health Service's Office of Research Integrity has not won a single case against a scientist accused of research misconduct. Cases are adjudicated by a panel of lawyers. Scientists and critics agree that the government's failure will have serious consequences for the research community. (MSE)

A University of Virginia student has successfully challenged his expulsion, which was based on an accusation of cheating on a test. The student claimed his initial trial was unfair and that he was poorly represented. Some feel the university's honor system has been compromised. (MSE)

It is proposed that the attorney-client privilege of confidentiality may be more important in the case of the university attorney than in the situation of the attorney representing the client as a law firm member. The principle is illustrated in a hypothetical case concerning research fraud. (MSE)

For $800 Muscovites buy blank diplomas from established universities, bearing official stamps, with desired major and date of graduation; another $50 buys blank transcripts. Professors often require students to take courses outside the core curriculum in order to pass exams for which they demand cash payments or goods. Admission is often based…

In cases of cheating, plagiarism, or violations of the law in dental education, a very high level of due process is required. University counsel can help administrators determine whether an accused student is professionally suited to dentistry by characterizing as many corrective actions as possible as academic under the rubric of "suitability to…

The issue of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, cheating on tests, and falsification of data by students, is examined. Legal cases are reviewed; the University of Iowa school of social work's policy on academic misconduct is presented; and other avenues of intervention and prevention are discussed. (Author/MSE)