Tuesday, November 26, 2002 Posted: 8:20 AM EST (1320
GMT)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia (AP) -- A wide-ranging probe of student plagiarism at the University of Virginia has ended with the dismissal of 45 students and the revocation of three graduates' degrees.
The Charlottesville school's student-run Honor Committee finished the last plagiarism trial on Saturday after a 20-month investigation. In all, 109 students were exonerated and 48 others were either convicted of cheating or left school admitting guilt.
"It's never a happy day when 48 students leave," Honor Committee Chairman Christopher Smith said Monday. "But it shows the system worked."
The plagiarism scandal began in spring 2001 when physics professor Lou Bloomfield heard that some students had copied their term papers in his introductory physics class. Bloomfield devised a computer program to detect duplicated phrases and caught 158 papers during the four previous semesters.
Two students challenged their dismissal in federal court this year. Smith said those cases were dismissed.
Founded by Thomas Jefferson, the University of Virginia ranks among the nation's top public universities and has one of the oldest collegiate honor systems. On every test, students pledge not to lie, cheat or steal. The only penalty for breaking the code is dismissal from school.