Questions raised in Fuqua case
By: Wenjia Zhang
Issue date: 5/24/07 Section: News
Last update: 5/28/07 at 10:21 PM EST
Last update: 5/28/07 at 10:21 PM EST
Most of the Fuqua School of Business students charged with cheating on a take-home exam April 27 are Asian, the students' lawyer said.
"There is something else going on here, something that needs to be explained before we go forward with this, because it doesn't look right," lawyer Robert Ekstrand, who filed appeals last week on behalf of 16 students, told The Raleigh News & Observer Tuesday.
The University Judicial Board charged 34 first-year masters of business administration program candidates in a class of 400 with collaborating on a take-home exam.
Nine students face expulsion from the school. Fifteen students will receive a one-year suspension and a failing grade in the course, nine will receive a failing grade and one will receive a zero on the assignment, according to an e-mail sent to the Fuqua community last month.
International students who are expelled will lose their student visas and be forced to leave the country within a designated period.
"Fuqua has a very well-established process by which it reviews violations of its honor code," said John Burness, senior vice president for public affairs and government relations. "That process is being carried out."
Ekstrand, who is also a lecturing fellow at the School of Law, said most of the students charged have been in America for less than a year and do not completely understand the Honor Code or judicial proceedings.
"The students who have received the severest penalties of expulsion or a one-year suspension come from three continents and represent both foreign and domestic students," Michael Hemmerich, associate dean for marketing and communications of Fuqua, wrote in an e-mail.
He said the Honor Code policy restricts him from revealing the identities of the students charged and the number of students who submitted appeals.
"The appeals board is acting in the strictest confidentiality that the process requires and the students deserve," he said.
"There is something else going on here, something that needs to be explained before we go forward with this, because it doesn't look right," lawyer Robert Ekstrand, who filed appeals last week on behalf of 16 students, told The Raleigh News & Observer Tuesday.
The University Judicial Board charged 34 first-year masters of business administration program candidates in a class of 400 with collaborating on a take-home exam.
Nine students face expulsion from the school. Fifteen students will receive a one-year suspension and a failing grade in the course, nine will receive a failing grade and one will receive a zero on the assignment, according to an e-mail sent to the Fuqua community last month.
International students who are expelled will lose their student visas and be forced to leave the country within a designated period.
"Fuqua has a very well-established process by which it reviews violations of its honor code," said John Burness, senior vice president for public affairs and government relations. "That process is being carried out."
Ekstrand, who is also a lecturing fellow at the School of Law, said most of the students charged have been in America for less than a year and do not completely understand the Honor Code or judicial proceedings.
"The students who have received the severest penalties of expulsion or a one-year suspension come from three continents and represent both foreign and domestic students," Michael Hemmerich, associate dean for marketing and communications of Fuqua, wrote in an e-mail.
He said the Honor Code policy restricts him from revealing the identities of the students charged and the number of students who submitted appeals.
"The appeals board is acting in the strictest confidentiality that the process requires and the students deserve," he said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 18
Marshall
posted 5/24/07 @ 1:21 PM EST
The lawyer's claims are nonsense. If you broke the rules, you have to face the consequences. There is no such a "difference" in Asian culture regarding cheating and admitting wrongdoings. (Continued…)
What Does An Academic Disaster Sound Like?
posted 5/24/07 @ 2:26 PM EST
Although it might appear to be obvious, given the surname of the author, the article should include a disclaimer on the order of:
Wenijia Zhang is a ______ (i. (Continued…)
anon
posted 5/24/07 @ 3:13 PM EST
test
Jock Stender
posted 5/24/07 @ 4:38 PM EST
I would like further commentary on the following:
Quote:
Ekstrand, however, claimed that cultural differences contributed to the case.
Unquote. (Continued…)
Whatever
posted 5/24/07 @ 6:13 PM EST
Of course Duke discriminates against Asians. It discriminates against blacks, reds, browns, greens, blues, yellows, and pinks too. The only people it doesn't discriminate against are white, who carry white sticks. (Continued…)
Houston Baker
posted 5/24/07 @ 8:06 PM EST
would say the poster has a "racist"
Duke-degree envy of some kind.
Maybe just diploma covetousness in general?
Probably just auditioning for the chem set that's about to be donated to the tombs, is all. (Continued…)
John C. Randolph
posted 5/25/07 @ 1:43 AM EST
This begs the question: So What?
Does this lawyer seriously intend to stake out the racist position that a person is entitled to cheat if they're Asian? Or even worse, that Asians can't be expected to understand ethics?
Mr. (Continued…)
striker
posted 5/25/07 @ 6:23 AM EST
Here comes the shakedown!
It's called the Pacific Two-Step!
How dare authorities point at Asians!
The language barriers contributed to the problem. (Continued…)
Crazy
posted 5/25/07 @ 12:13 PM EST
The fact that it is mostly Asians being prosecuted and from the number of 34 out of 400, well statistically it has significance w/ all factors being mostly independant. (Continued…)
Whatever
posted 5/25/07 @ 8:09 PM EST
Hey - here's an idea! Why not make sure the freakin' faculty you have at Duke actually have the credentials they claim to have! Then you can take on the student body. (Continued…)
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