Over the past couple of weeks, the academic integrity of all CSU Stanislaus students has been questioned due to the sensational national media coverage regarding surveys pertaining to the Peterson case.

During the 2003 fall semester, students in an undergraduate Criminal Justice class were required to conduct a survey to be used for the Scott Peterson case.

Upon hearing that the case received a change of venue partially based on these survey results, a small number of students found themselves in a moral dilemma and some came forth with confessions that they falsified survey data.

The media has since portrayed CSUS students as liars and cheaters. As a result, students, faculty, staff and administrators are diligently working to reclaim the academic integrity that has been diminished by this one incident which is not indicative of CSU Stanislaus as a whole.

Many students are upset over being mislabeled regarding this single incident. CSU Stanislaus students, in pursuit of academic excellence, are personally offended and embarrassed by the allegations of the lack of academic integrity on our campus.

Students are devoted to academic integrity by our own personal standards. If time was taken to define these personal standards, one would find: high morals, solid integrity, a strong understanding of higher education and the rigors of pursing academic endeavors.

Rather than focus on inflammatory allegations, the media and general public should focus on the university’s longstanding tradition of academic integrity.

This will permit the University to focus on due process and enable all parties involved to receive a fair and thorough investigation. As the university president has stated, “Academic excellence, honesty and integrity are the concepts that underlie our academic mission.”

Please allow our previous and future actions to speak for themselves. In the near future, it will be clear that the university is guided by the aforementioned concepts as they always have been in the past.

Cesar Rumayor

Student body president,

CSU Stanislaus