University of Texas at San Antonio students found themselves in the middle of a misunderstanding when allegations that they plagiarized another university's honor code circulated through the media.
The story accused the students of copying Brigham Young University's honor code, which was also taken from another school, Clemson University. In an Associated Press article that was published nationwide, plagiarism experts referred to the incident as an indication of "sloppiness among Internet-era students," but officials from Clemson said they disagree.
BYU adopted their honor code from an example given at a Clemson University ethics conference five years ago, which individuals from UTSA also attended.
The AP story said that BYU attributed their code to Clemson University, while UTSA did not.
Daniel Wueste, director of the Robert J. Rutland Institute for Ethics at Clemson, wrote a letter to a USA Today editor and said that no one at Clemson University would consider the UTSA honor code to be plagiarism.
"That BYU included a citation is nice, but it was not necessary," he said.
Wueste said he contacted UTSA students, who apologized after the AP article was published, and told them no harm had taken place.
He related the issue to a hotel employee writing rules for the swimming pool.
"Should we be dismayed if the pool rules she comes up with are the same as the pool rules at another hotel? Would we expect a footnote at the bottom of the sign?" Wueste asked.
Stephen Myers, outgoing chair for the UT Senate of College Councils, said schools commonly adopt honor codes from other universities.
He said he applauds UTSA students for taking the initiative to develop an honor code, even if students did not write it themselves.
"At conferences, they always tell schools to use the models given as needed, but I would hope universities would reference the source of their information," Myers said.
UTSA spokesman David Gabler said the language of the code was given at the conference with an understanding that it would be used in honor codes throughout the country.
"There is no plagiarism involved whatsoever," Gabler said. "This story is something that was mistaken for the sake of witty headlines."
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