Harvard forced dozens to withdraw over integrity cheating to exam

Dozens of Harvard University students have been academically disciplined in an investigation into cheating on an open-book, take-home final exam.

CAMBRIDGE - Harvard University says it has finished investigating widespread cheating in an open-book, take-home final exam, but it isn't explaining exactly what happened to the students or how many were involved.

In an email Friday, Harvard released general information about cases heard by its academic integrity board this fall.

It says overall "somewhat more than half" the cases involved students who were forced to withdraw from the college for a period of time. Of remaining cases, half the students got disciplinary probation. The rest weren't disciplined.

As many as 125 students were implicated in the exam-cheating scandal. The inquiry started after a teaching assistant detected problems, including that students may have shared answers. School officials say the spring course involved included undergraduate students at all class levels.

Some athletes became ensnared, including two basketball players who were scratched from the roster...

"When you go into a class there is some kind of underlying acknowledgement that you are not going to cheat," said senior Mathew Henriques.

The probe initiated after a government course teaching assistant detected problems, including that the students may have shared answers.

Undergraduate students at all levels were involved, including two basketball players who were dropped from the team.

"The college has done a lot to make it a lot clearer this year. When you can actually work with other people," said freshman Sarah Martini.

"I don't think that's indicative of the school as a whole. I mean, there is a few students that were cheating in one class -- doesn't say much about the rest of university. It's a very diverse place," freshman Tim Green said.

Of the remaining cases, half the students received academic probation in December. The rest were not disciplined.

"It's true that we are supposed to be held to a higher standard, and I like the fact that they are encouraging people to re-evaluate those decisions. I also like the fact that they are giving them a chance to come back," freshman David Fulton.