NEW YORK - Harvard University is investigating allegations that approximately 125 undergraduate students cheated on a spring take-home final exam, school officials said on Thursday, disclosing what would be the largest cheating scandal in its recent history.
"These allegations, if proven, represent totally unacceptable behavior that betrays the trust upon which intellectual inquiry at Harvard depends," Harvard University President Drew Faust said in a statement.
The allegations came to light in the spring when an instructor noticed similarities between tests. ?
The cases will be reviewed by the Administrative Board of Harvard College, which is responsible for handling violations of college rules. Students found guilty could face punishment such as having to withdraw for one year from the university, among the nation's most prestigious.
"Academic dishonesty cannot and will not be tolerated at Harvard," said Michael D. Smith, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
Smith did not name the course in which the cheating may have occurred. Federal privacy laws prevent the university from naming any students involved, the college said.
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online 0108263 Registration Number: 130349 
