ORLANDO, Fla.,None — A University of Central Florida professor found out hundreds of students cheated on his mid-term and Wednesday he spoke with WFTV. He said 600 students were given until midnight to retake the exam.
The UCF College of Business professor noticed abnormally high scores. Soon afterward, students came forward saying someone had all the answers.
"It was total, utter disappointment," Professor Richard Quinn told WFTV.
Quinn found out as many as 200 of his 600 students cheated on his mid-term. The test was given on a Friday and Professor Quinn immediately saw a problem with scores.
When he got to his office the following Monday, he got even more proof. Someone had dropped a copy of the answers in the bin of his office door.
"At that point, I knew what the problem was. The only thing I didn't know at the time was how big the problem was," he said.
The original test was given electronically in a lab where students are monitored. The re-test will be on paper and has been completely re-written.
Professor Quinn says the scandal hit him like a knife through the heart.
"Look at the person on your left side, look at the person on your right side. Statistically, one of them cheated on the exam," he said in front of a group of students.
UCF is nationally known for stopping cheaters. Closed circuit cameras, like the ones in Las Vegas casinos, are all over the testing centers.
On campus Wednesday, opinions about the scandal were mixed.
"It's horrible. We don't need unethical people going into the business world. Obviously, I'm sure there are enough of them out there," student Alan Blanchard told WFTV.
"This is college. Everyone cheats. Everyone cheats in life in general. I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone in this testing lab who hasn't cheated on an exam. They're making a witch hunt out of absolutely nothing, as if they want to teach us some kind of moral lesson," student Konstantin Ravvin said.
The professor says what has happened since has restored his faith in humanity. Nearly 80 percent of the students who the university thought were involved have voluntarily come forward.
"I would have never expected that, which really shows, for the vast majority, it was dumb decision that they want to correct," Professor Quinn said.
UCF said the students who admit to cheating by midnight can complete the course if they attend a four-hour ethics course. The university is still investigating how the students were able to get the answers.
WFTV
