In a six-year high, 27 students were forced to withdraw from Harvard College during the 2020-2021 academic year due to academic dishonesty, according to a report released this month.
The Honor Council heard a total of 138 academic integrity cases during the school year. The 2020-2021 school year marked the highest number of cases and withdrawals since the Honor Council came into effect in 2015.
Harvard moved classes online during the 2020-2021 school year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and exams for both semesters were administered online. Roughly 5,231 undergraduates enrolled in fall 2020 while 20 percent of admitted students opted to defer enrollment.
Dean of the College Rakesh Khurana chairs the Honor Council, a group of students, faculty, and administrators who adjudicate cases of academic dishonesty.
Ninety-nine of the 138 reviewed cases resulted in a finding of responsibility, meaning that an academic dishonesty violation did occur. According to the report, students who are forced to withdraw must be employed in a full-time, paid, non-academic job for at least six months before they can petition for readmission to Harvard. The length of withdrawal is usually between two to four terms.
An additional 56 students were put on probation, a notice from the College that future violations may lead to more serious consequences. Another 10 students were admonished, a warning that falls short of probation. The Honor Council referred six students for a local sanction, meaning the faculty member leading the course decides the appropriate disciplinary action — for example, a grade penalty or mandatory tutoring.
