Today, The American Consumer Institute Center for Citizen Research (ACI) launched the Academic Integrity Project, which will bring attention to systemic cheating on college campuses and urge policymakers and educators to put a stop to it.
ACI is a nonprofit institute based in Washington, D.C., founded with the purpose to promote consumer welfare by improving the understanding and impact that public policies and regulations have on consumers in a free market.
University tuition is one of the greatest investments a consumer can make in their lifetime, and right now the value of that investment is being threatened by the growing, widespread cheating problem on college campuses nationwide.
With online tools like Chegg.com, students are able to receive near-immediate answers to exams, quizzes, and homework questions. Honest students are forced to choose between being at a disadvantage or resort to cheating, while those who already are cheating do not experience repercussions.
“America’s world-class, higher education is something we should all take pride in. Right now, the value of an education in this country is under threat. Unfortunately, cheating is more accessible than ever, with many educators and higher education institutions observing an epidemic of academic dishonesty on campus. Through the Academic Integrity Project, we hope to work alongside educators, policymakers, parents and school faculty to investigate and put a stop to corporate-funded cheating platforms that are devaluing a college degree,” said ACI President Steve Pociask.
Concerned individuals are encouraged to visit the initiative’s website to sign a petition directed at the Department of Education and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, urging them to look into this growing problem and institute policies that are aimed at putting a stop to it.
To learn more about the Academic Integrity Project, visit:
www.academicintegrityproject.com