Course materials uploaded to website, potential honor code violation

University of Richmond course materials and content have been uploaded to an Internet site known as Course Hero, which could potentially place the uploading students in violation of the honor code.

“Uploading answers to a test, or scanning the test itself – that’s very clearly a violation of the honor code,” Fred Stillman, chair of Richmond College Honor Council, said. “If it’s uploading of something else, such as class notes, I do not encourage it because it’s risky, but unless the teacher has specifically stated on their syllabus that students are not allowed to share class notes, that is not an honor council violation.”

At this time, no student has been accused of uploading or downloading course documents, but faculty across multiple departments have reported class documents appearing online.

“It’s not that there’s been any specific report of a person. There’s not been anything turned in to the honor council that says, ‘this is a case you need to look at,’” said Joseph Boehman, dean of Richmond College.

Regarding the disciplinary difference between uploading and downloading course material, Stillman said: “That is something that I’m still debating with Dean Boehman. In our statutes it is ‘the giving of unauthorized aid and the use of unapproved electronic resources,’ but we’re still finding out there’s a bit of gray matter in this area."

Honor council investigations only begin after a complaint is lodged by a student or teacher.

“The honor council does not hunt down or track down students. We get cases presented to us, and we follow through on that,” Stillman said.

Coursehero.com describes itself as “an educational technology company that provides students with course-specific content, tools and services in order to learn more effectively and succeed.” The website requires a monthly, paid subscription.

Richmond students and faculty have requested that files be removed from Course Hero, but the university has not contacted the website.

“They’ve [Course Hero] so far been receptive to things being taken down,” Stillman said.

“My main message with this website is for students to really think twice before using it. Don’t even put yourselves in a situation where it even becomes even potentially an issue,” Stillman said. “Common sense goes a long way with this. An online test bank is no different than having an actual test bank.”

Contact reporter Daniel Heifetz at daniel.heifetz@richmond.edu