SEN. FARLEY REPORTS SENATE PASSES BILL TO CURB CHEATING ON ACADEMIC PAPERS

State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R - Schenectady) reported the New York State Senate recently passed a bill to prevent students from cheating by prohibiting the sale or purchase of dissertations, term papers, and similar academic documents online. The legislation (S2405) would prevent academic fraud by discouraging Internet-based services from selling educational papers to students.

Most academic institutions have plagiarism policies in place whereby students who engage in such activity are punished. However, currently there is no New York State law that deters online entities from offering educational papers for sale.

This bill extends the current prohibition against the sale or purchase of "written" term papers and other documents provided for sale or purchase by including papers purchased through electronic media, such as the Internet. Students would still be able to access research information online, but sale or purchase of term papers, theses, or dissertations would be a violation punishable by a fine of up to $1,000.

The bill has been sent to the Assembly.