Professor Sanford

If I were Catholic this post would begin with, "Forgive me Father for I have sinned." Fortunately, I was raised in Missouri Synod Lutheran (so right wing the Catholics are liberal heretics) so I gave up religion decades ago. 

 In January 1990 I was:

•  Running for Student Body President
• Taking an incredibly easy J-Term class from Dean of Students Brian Austin*
• Working 20 hours per week selling electronics at Montgomery Wards
• Shadow taking a course from Professor Sanford because I thought it was interesting

I wish I had that guy's energy now, but I digress...

My friend Scott was taking Professor Sanford's class and my enjoyment every night was devouring the material from the class. The final assignment for the class was a paper that I was all too eager to write. My mistake? I didn't write it at Scott's level. 

When Professor Sanford handed back the papers he gave it to Scott with something like, "This is one of the best papers I've ever read from a student I know didn't write it." 

Scott got an A- in the class. Had I written at his level he probably would have had an A. My bad.

So this post is my confession: I helped a student cheat. There was no bad intentions. I honestly wished I had taken the class instead of Austin's lame Leadership class. 

*My A in the Leadership class was guaranteed before I walked in the door. The Dean of Students was a lousy Dean but he also knew I was going to be Student Body President and I wanted him fired. He asked me to be his TA for the class, which I happily said yes, because again, you can't give your TA anything less than A. I got my A and got him fired. Win-win. 

PS - the reason I loved Professor Sanford even though I never had a class with him: As a student government geek I served on at least one committee with him... Admissions? Academic Policies?... on that I can't remember... but Professor Sanford was one of the few faculty members who gave a shit what I thought. When he endorsed Bruce Babbit in the 1988 Presidential race I came to that ceremony because I really liked Babbit (but I was already on team Dukakis) and because I respected Professor Sanford. 

As a Professor I have read dozens (hundreds?) of papers I know the student didn't write. In one class of Strategic Management I had two projects that were over the top MBA level good. I called the students in and said, "You have the A so long as you tell me who wrote this and where did you get it from?"  What shocked me was that both groups outsourced to Indians working in a book store in Al Ain. What they paid was just over $100. My reaction? You have to give them a $50 tip and tell them not to do such a good job next time. Both groups assured me they would and by Emirati culture I am sure they did.