78 freshmen Cadets cheated on Calculus test
Posted: 06.06.2012 at 2:23 PM
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AIR FORCE ACADEMY, COLO. -- Air Force Academy officials announced Wednesday up to 78 Cadets have admitted to cheating on their Calculus exam.

Officials said most of the Cadets have taken responsibility after staff members discovered they had used a web-based math program that was allowed for homework assignments but not for the exam.

Each Cadet allegedly acted on his or her own.

Mathematics 142 is a freshman Calculus course, and the Fundamental Skills Exam was an online-based test.

Those who cheated will go through an intensive six-month remediation program that involves reflection, journaling and mentoring with senior officers and Cadet honor representatives.

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"Penalties for Cadets can range from honor probation to disenrollment, and that process is being worked through the Cadet Honor Code," Lt. Col. John Bryan, Academy Director of Public Affairs, said in a statement. "Cadet Honor Representatives along with USAFA staff are fully engaged to determine who potentially had an unfair advantage in taking the basic FSE test. The fact that many of these cadets owned up to their mistakes tells us our process in developing these leaders of character is working."

Academy officials are disappointed but are moving forward.

"We are disappointed in this small number of our nearly 4,200 cadets. However, this review sends a strong message to all that if there are suspicions that a cadet uses unauthorized resources we will hold them accountable in accordance with the Academy Honor System," Bryan added. "We expect the very best of our cadets."