Group questions fairness of students use of old tests
Helena Rayam
News Writer
Campus Life Council questioned the fairness of students' use of old tests to study for classes at Monday's meeting.
"Some students gather these old tests and use them to guess what questions professors will ask, and some students raid them so other people can't use them," said Fisher Hall senator Phil Dittmar.
Senators worried that students have unequal access to old files because many dorms have tests not made available by professors, and thus students have varying resources.
"Professors should know that dorm files exist," said Coalition Council representative Michael Fierro.
The use of dorm files raises concerns as to whether or not the practice violates the Honor Code, which states that students should have a fair advantage in academic situations. Students in dorms with substantial test files have an advantage, Dittmar said.
"You're getting to some really dicey areas," said Faculty Senator Dean Ava Preacher. "The code is meant to be student-driven and eliminate many punitive measures."
Preacher suggested that professors clarify their policies regarding the use of old tests and also that students can reevaluate their treatment of the Honor Code. She has noticed a general misunderstanding among students as to what constitutes cheating in several areas, including using old tests.
"We've had kind of an explosion of Honesty Code cases," said Preacher.
Student body president Micah Murphy suggested that a discussion take place between the Committee on Academic Honesty, Faculty Senate and Academic Council.
"It is also important to not imply that the students who are using [the old tests] are cheating," said Murphy.
"A lot of time, I have professors that will encourage us to look at old tests," Fierro said, adding that other professors do not want students to utilize old tests.
"Creating exams that adequately test material is difficult," vice president for Residence Life Bill Kirk said, explaining why some professors use similar test questions.
Kirk recommended that professors who do not want students to use old tests make that clear to the students. In his classes, he chooses not to allow students to use old tests and tells them that they will be in violation of the Honor Code if they do.
"I don't think this is just unique to Notre Dame," said Knott Hall rector Brother Jerome Meyer.
Although other universities allow the use of old tests, Notre Dame's Honor Code examines the fairness of old tests. The CLC wants to resolve the issue so that no student is at a disadvantage.
In other CLC news:
The Alcohol Committee will send a formulated questionnaire to rectors to get their opinions on alcohol abuse and dealing with parties.
"We're trying to evaluate the consistency of policies across campus," said off-campus senator Pat Foy.
All News Stories for Tuesday, January 25, 2000
