Source: Fortune
Summary
Professor Roberto Serrano changed the format of his midterm exam at Brown University after a mass shooting on campus, but instead of reducing stress, it led to a large-scale AI-assisted cheating scandal. 40 out of 86 students scored a perfect 100, and the class average was 96, which was unusually high. Serrano discovered that some answers contained passages generated by ChatGPT. He gave his students the benefit of the doubt but told them the final exam would be in person. 27 students dropped the course, and 19 failed the final exam. Serrano reported the incident to the university’s Academic Code Committee, but the provost has maintained silence.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story.
Serrano’s decision to give a take-home exam backfired, leading to widespread cheating. The fact that 40 students scored a perfect 100 and the class average was 96 raised suspicions. Serrano’s discovery of ChatGPT-generated passages in some answers confirmed his worst fears. The incident highlights the challenges universities face in preventing AI-assisted cheating. Serrano’s actions, including changing the format of the final exam and reporting the incident to the Academic Code Committee, demonstrate his commitment to academic integrity. However, the provost’s silence on the matter raises concerns about the university’s response to the scandal.
It seems that Brown University’s academic integrity is under siege, and the market may soon find out that the Brown label is not what it used to be.
Author: Evan Null
