The Dean of Students Office invites all faculty and staff members to a brownbag webinar on academic misconduct March 3rd at noon in 220 Ingraham Hall. While the title of the webinar involves the concept of “honor codes,” we are not necessarily advocating that our campus move in that direction. Rather, we hope that attendees can begin a dialog on how to address the problem of academic misconduct at UW-Madison.

After the webinar, staff from the Dean of Students Office will answer questions about the UW’s academic misconduct process and lead a discussion on what might work on our campus. Below is a description of the webinar, with a link to register.

Webinar Description:
Which protects academic honesty better: a threat … or a promise? Get the surprising answer in a new online seminar! In most academic institutions, honesty and integrity are protected by formidable sanctions … a failing grade, censure, suspension, expulsion, or some combination thereof. Yet cheating and other forms of academic dishonesty persist – thrive, in fact. And we see the impact not just on campus, but when dishonest students take their places in society. Insider trading? Phantom assets? Cooked books?

While sanctions are certainly appropriate when ethical lapses occur, they may not be the most effective preventive tools. In fact, a growing body of research shows that one of the most effective deterrents to cheating is a student’s word … specifically, their promise to abide by an honor code.

Join the Dean of Student’s office and find out why honor codes are back in the spotlight during a new online seminar coming March 3!

In Making Honor Codes Work (Even If You Don’t Have One), presenter Gary Pavela will show you how honor codes can be employed to help you reach critical goals:

• Reducing academic dishonesty
• Promoting a culture of academic integrity
• Enhancing students’ ethical development
• Reinforcing your institution’s values

This 90-minute video seminar will review notable successes achieved with honor codes, and show you how to implement them on your campus. You’ll discover:

• How honor codes work
• What their key characteristics are
• How to implement comparable techniques at the classroom or departmental level in the absence of a campus-wide code
• How to enhance the quality of teaching and student engagement in learning through the use of honor codes
• Which teaching styles best promote engagement and reduce dishonesty
• How student leadership and peer involvement can help in protecting academic integrity
• What the courts consider fundamental fairness in academic dishonesty cases
• And much more

Date and time: Tuesday, March 3, 2009 — noon-1:30 p.m. Brown bag (drinks will be provided).
Register at: http://www.ohrd.wisc.edu/reg/catalog_course_detail.asp?course_key=23956

Please contact Tonya Schmidt, Assistant Dean of Students at 608-263-5700, if you have any questions.