Ethics is an ongoing issue as we all know. However, the foundation of
ethical behavior at all levels is built in the home reinforced by the
educational institutions (schools.,universitites, colleges). The
university and the professor(s) have every right to condemn the non ethical
student who cheats on observation, titration, and other activities. These
are the folks that science and society does NOT need. However, the
suggestion of process is much more accetable to me than flat out outcomes.
After all we are all teachers( at one level or another). However, if
repreated processes do not produce the results, it behooves us as
professionals to examine the processes and determine if they are faulty or
if the student or post doc is "not cutting the mustard" . Having had to
counsel in a number of ethics issues and with large volumes of students I
perceive that the ethical platform that the student comes with is the
signficiant issue. So therefore we start teaching ethics early, REAL
EARLY. Just had to deal with a female student at a major California univ
in her first year. This girl was bright bright bright. She was taking
the general chem course reequired of bio majors. The final exam was given
in an auditordium. As the girl looked around her, she did not see many of
her Middle Eastern classmates in the exam, upon inquiry ,she was told by
another classmate that the others had used chem majors to take the exam.
The young lady said to me: ' I studied like crazy to get a B , these
other ----- got another person to take their exam for them and they got
'A's". The upshot was that she withdrew from this university, entered a
smaller state university and is progressing well. However, she changed her
major. It took me several sessions in counseling to work her through this
issue.?
Now please do not think me ethnically biased. I have told the story as it
happened.
Mary Ann Sesma
Mary Ann Sesma e mail
1621 Sunnyhill Drive msesma at bell.k12.ca.us (preferred)
Monterey Park, CA 91754 sesma at aol.com
phone; (213)261-5860
fax:(213)261-8692
