In recent days, much has been published, debated and opined about a juror survey class assignment by the survey's creator, CSUS Professor Stephen Schoenthaler, and about several university students.

Much of what has been said has been highly critical of and unflattering about California State University, Stanislaus, and its students. Reporters, commentators, editors and purported experts have weighed in, and with each stroke of the "opinion" brush, the negative comments become broader.

The allegations of professor and student improprieties -- "cheating," "falsification" and "fraud" -- are indeed serious and impugn, albeit wrongly, the reputation of the criminal justice program and the university as a whole.

CSU Stanislaus is rated by U.S. News and World Reports as one of the finest institutions of public higher education in the western United States. It is featured and rated in several publications for its qualitative curricula, outstanding faculty, student achievement and commitment to teaching and learning. The university boasts one of the most outstanding cadres of scholars, teachers and researchers in the CSU system and received the highest rating by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges in its most recent reaccreditation.

The criminal justice program, its faculty and students are highly rated and respected among criminal justice academic programs throughout the nation, as attested by its numerous publications and awards for excellence. Criminal justice alumni have outstanding careers in business, higher education, law, law enforcement (local, state and federal), corrections, teaching and public service. They have graduated from some of the finest graduate schools and law schools in the country, in many instances with distinction.

The students involved in this case have otherwise distinguished academic careers. They are not "cheaters." During their time at the university, they have taken a vast number of tests, written numerous research papers and have completed numerous courses from a variety of disciplines and professors. Many individuals make errors in judgment during their lives; good people sometimes make wrong choices. I am wary of those who cast stones from their glass houses.

These critics have no idea of the pressures under which the students in this class toiled relative to the survey project. Some stood up to the professor and said: "No. I will not do this assignment." Such actions by students generally do not occur and are not condoned. Some did the best they could under the circumstances and, unfortunately, some gave in to the demands and pressures, and out of fear of failing, may have fabricated some responses -- an error in judgment in otherwise unblemished student academic careers.

To the students' credit, when they saw the unsanctioned survey in the media, they knew they had to do the right thing despite the peril such righteous actions could bring them. The students may have exercised poor judgment in the face of overwhelming difficulties, but in the final analysis they chose right over wrong even though it meant potential dire consequences to them. These students are being punished for their misdeeds, both in the public forum and within their own hearts and minds. They felt a sense of duty to try to correct a wrong.

A professor from Northwestern University School of Law is quoted in a Bee article: "The point is to teach students, not obtain their labor." University students are to be taught, guided, challenged and led by example.

The campus president has pledged a full investigation, which will be done with vigor, integrity, due process and fairness. We will all be better served by awaiting the outcome of the investigation and should cease casting disparaging comments about an outstanding university with faculty and students second to none.

Rhodes is a professor of criminal justice at California State University, Stanislaus.