I've been there

I used to teach C and C++ programming at University of Colorado, Denver.

Seems like I fail a student a semester for copying source code from a book or somewhere. Source is kind of an individual thing ya know. Typically, I spot it when I get deja vu grading a paper - then go back to find the other one that reminded me of it.

In all cases but one, I've had full backing of the department head. In only one case did the student's advocate give me a hard time (and he is a jerk and my department head still backed me).

My policy is that its not possible to pass the class with uncompleted assigments and you get a zero on any assignment that I can prove is not your own work.

We've gone soft on this.
In my parents' day, plagarism could get you expelled from the college permanently. It should still do that.

For a sample, look at [link|http://www.perlmonks.org/index.pl?lastnode_id=26179&node_id=70860|the following flame] that I wrote to a person who kept on posting his homework question, taking the last response and reposting etc.

That does state my feelings accurately. I just wish that the punishment was more likely than I suspect it is. As it stands the only punishment that they tend to get is [link|http://www.perlmonks.org/index.pl?lastnode_id=136531&node_id=122620|not learning] and that puts people who did learn in the position of having to deal with people who have learned to expect that you didn't learn.

This is, incidentally, the same problem that I have with a lot of affirmative action programs. I don't mind giving extra help to targeted groups. But damnit, if they don't wind up with equivalent accomplishments, don't let them through. Based on painful experience I have learned to treat blacks with college degrees with more suspicion than whites simply because there is a greater chance that the black didn't have to measure up to any meaningful standard for that degree. Without an easy way to distinguish, I have to paint with a broad brush. :-(

Cheers,
Ben

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