Honor scandals
From USAFA Folklore
Despite the high standards expected of cadets and staff, the Academy has not been immune from Honor Scandals. The first Honor scandal broke in 1965, when a resigning cadet reported knowing of more than 100 cadets who had been involved in a cheating ring. Negative media reports came out throughout the United States and 109 cadets were ultimately expelled. Cheating scandals rocked the Academy again in 1967, 1972 and 1984 and also resulted in the expulsion of significant numbers of cadets.
[edit] The Physics Scandal of 1984
During the spring semester of 1984, the Physics Department had collected enough data to suggest there was a potential sharing of test answers for the spring semester senior physics class, Physics 411 amongst the Class of 1984 .
At this time, tests were given based upon M-day or T-day schedule. So all the cadets that had physics on M-day took the same test no matter what period they had physics and the same for T-day. Bottomline is that for each graded review (GR) there were only two versions of the test.
The Physics Department became suspicious that cadets in earlier classes were informing cadets in later classes about the questions on the exam when over the sememster, the scores for the afternoon test were greatly higher than the average scores on the morning tests. On the last graded review before finals, the Physics department changed certain questions on the afternoon's test. Several cadets who took that GR in the afternoon answered the six multiple choice questions with answers that would have been correct in the morning but were incorrect in the afternoon, and at least 23 cadets were brought up on an honor violation.
Approximately one month before graduation, all 23 were found guilty by cadet Honor Boards. Investigation indicated that the cheating was widespread and the Superintendent, Gen Winfield Scott, offered amnesty to cadets who admitted cheating. These cadets were removed from the Class of 1984 and were allowed to return to take the entire physics course again with the Class of 1985. Those who did not accept amnesty were separated.
In the wake of this scandal, squadrons were assigned Squadron Professional Ethics Advisors.
[edit] The Knowledge Test Scandal of 2007
40 Fourth Class cadets were accused of cheating on a weekly knowledge test given to all members of the Class of 2010 on Jan. 31, 2007. The test compromise was discovered on Feb. 2 when cadets reported the incident.
Of the 40 cases, 29 cadets admitted to cheating, five denied cheating and six cases concluded the cadets did not cheat. The five who denied cheating met Wing Honor Boards in which two were found guilty of violating the Honor Code. A total of 31 cadets were found in violation of the Cadet Honor Code. One cadet who admitted cheating resigned.
The cases were forwarded to the Commandant of Cadets, Brig. Gen. Susan Y. Desjardins. She determined that 12 of the violators would be placed on six months’ Honor Probation (and if successfully completed, would again be cadets in good standing) and recommended that 18 will be disenrolled from the Academy. Two cadets recommended for disenrollment resigned.
As is their right, nine of the 16 cadets appealed their disenrollment recommendation to the Academy Superintendent, Lt. Gen. John F. Regni. General Regni upheld the Commandant’s disenrollment recommendation in eight of the nine appeals.
At the end of the appeals process, of the 31 cadets found in violation of the Cadet Honor Code, 18 are disenrolled, 13 will be placed on probation.
