Have you ever cheated on an exam? Have you ever copied a friend's homework? If yes, you are not alone. In fact, you are in the majority. According to David Callahan, cheating has become a pervasive part of American culture. Callahan, author of "The Cheating Culture: Why More Americans Are Doing Wrong to Get Ahead," lectured at the University of West Florida Commons Conference Center on Nov. 15.

Approximately 70 students and faculty came to hear Callahan lecture about integrity and cheating. Callahan said cheating can be seen everywhere. Baseball players cheat with steroids, lawyers pad hours for higher billings and students plagiarize anything to get ahead, he said.

Students were the main focus of the speech. According to a 2002 study cited by Callahan, 74 percent of high school students admitted to cheating in the past year. However, more than 80 percent said they believed cheating was wrong. Callahan said that students have two moral compasses.

"It is bipolar morality," Callahan said. "One is for social behavior, and the other is for getting ahead academically, professionally or economically."

Callahan said it is getting harder not to compromise. Three major changes have happened to society making it easier for people to compromise their integrity.

"Ends justifying the means," he said. "Everyone is focused on being successful, judging our self-worth by our net worth."

The second change discussed by Callahan was fear. He said people are afraid of "being a loser."

"The economy is more competitive," he said. "People think, 'I better not screw things up.'"

The last change that has lead to this "tilt to cheating," as he refers to it, is a lack of enforcement of policies. Some teachers aren't aware, but others know and don't enforce it, Callahan said. Some of the steps to bring a student up on charges are incredibly lengthy leaving teachers to feel like it isn't worth their time, Callahan said.

To solve the problem, Callahan said many schools have implemented honor codes. Honor codes are policies students sign pledging not to cheat. However, they are only effective if the schools back them up and students play a role in decisions, he said.

Callahan also introduced his new social contract for America that consists of three simple rules to help restore integrity and stop cheating.

"Anyone who plays by the rules should get ahead," he said. "Anyone who breaks the rules should be held to the same standards, rich or poor. Third, everyone has to have a say in how the rules are made."

The ideas presented by Callahan made sense to Jane Halonen, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Halonen said Callahan is an "interesting voice" on something that should be obvious to everyone.

"He saw the patterns," Halonen said. "It is a snapshot of what is going on in our culture."

Halonen said it is an issue that directly affects the University.

"It would be na*ve to think it doesn't happen here," she said of cheating. "We need to be proactive, and do a better job at watch-dogging."

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