Download – Feedback on “tackling contract cheating”
We welcome this opportunity to contribute our view on the idea to legislate the provision of contract cheating services for Australian university students. We support the idea of making it an offence to provide or advertise contract cheating services. This is one important way to promote academic integrity and the quality of an Australian university education. In this submission, we discuss the role of student associations and their associated advocacy services; we suggest that these bodies are consulted in efforts to reduce instances of contract cheating. We make the following recommendations:
Recommendation one: That legislation be implemented which makes the sale or advertisement of commercial cheating services an offence.
Recommendation two: That the HESP, universities, and other decision-making bodies engage with student organisations to implement interventions addressing causes of contract cheating.
Recommendation three: That decision-makers draw on the expertise of independent advocacy services in efforts to tackle contract cheating.
Recommendation four: That student associations are provided with adequate funding to support and staff an advocacy service, in order to manage and prevent cases of academic misconduct.
