What is and is not considered ethical in academics can often be a complicated issue. As a tutor, you’re in a position where it’s your job to help your tutees, but there are types of helping that can ultimately create some problems with the Center for Student Ethics and Standards. Aside from the obvious of doing the work for a student, even helping students with graded assignments can often be considered cheating or collusion. So, as a rule, it’s better to avoid offering students any type of help with graded work, and, to protect yourself, it’s important to ask whether or not an assignment is going to be turned in for a grade.
In the rare case that a student’s professor is okay with you helping them with the assignment, you should be in touch with the professor, with the student’s permission, about exactly what type of assistance they are okay with the student receiving.
Similarly, sharing your own old exams from the course can be considered cheating if you don’t clear it with the professor first. The bottom line is that it’s important to be aware of what’s in the Academic Integrity Policy and to be in touch with professors, with the student’s permission, before offering assistance of any kind on graded assignments.
To see the Academic Integrity Policy, follow this link: www.uvm.edu/~uvmppg/ppg/student/acadintegrity.pdf
13 Nov