It’s crunch time. Whether we like it or not, it’s that time of the semester when term papers become due and final exams are just around the corner.

What does one do if a research paper is due the next day and the individual has not started it? Also, if one has not read the textbook for the final exam, does he try to cram the information into his memory?

A relatively new website, coursehero.com claims to have lecture notes, outlines, study guides, essays and exams for students to use. Sacramento State is one of the many universities listed in its database.

Felix Barba, a senior government major, said he has not seen this particular website.

“It’s really good when students are collaborating in their work and what they’re doing,” Barba said.

He also said it’s an opportunity to share in study groups to help learning and complement in-class learning.

Many times Barba will share study guides and notes with his fellow classmates to see what parts they have missed, he said.

However, Barba said if a student takes a test that a professor did not want released and posts it on the website, then the student should be scolded for it.

He said students will plagiarize when they’re often under deadline and will look to those websites or other resources.

The Student Affairs office has compiled an university policy manual. It contains the academic honesty policy and procedures.

According to the policy, “the principles of truth and honesty are recognized as fundamental to a community of scholars and teachers.” Sac State expects that faculty and students will honor these principles and thus protect the integrity of academic work and student grades.

The policy further explains that it’s the students’ responsibility to understand and abide by the rules of academic honesty when completing course assignments and exams. “Ignorance of these rules is not a defense to a charge of academic dishonesty,” the policy states.

“Submitting work previously graded in another course unless doing so has been approved by the course instructor or by department policy” is considered cheating according to the policy.

Mike Lee, associate vice president and dean of academic programs, makes it clear to the students: “Don’t (plagiarize or cheat.)”

It defeats the purpose of an education at Sac State and is absolutely a violation of the academic honesty policy. The penalty can be very, very severe. The student will probably receive an “F” in the course and it will leave a record in one’s academic career, Lee said.

The internet can be a source for plagiarism, but, on the other hand, there are also ways we can catch plagiarism because of the internet, he said.

“Plagiarism should not be tolerated at all,” Blanca Cervantes, a senior criminal justice and Spanish major, said. “There are a lot of students who work very hard to write all their papers without plagiarizing. So, everybody else should be held to the same standards.”

“Students should not cheat in any way to get themselves through college,” she said.

For more information about the academic honesty policy and procedures, visit www.csus.edu/umanual/student/UMA00150.htm or to learn about appropriate student conduct, visit www.csus.edu/umanual/student/UMS16150.HTM.