Regarding the cheating students at California State University, Stanislaus (Front Page, Jan. 9): I don't understand the "shock" over the cheating students. As a former student at CSUS, I can tell you that cheating is not uncommon. In many of the classes I took, other students would confess to cheating and misrepresenting assignments just to get a better grade.

When I took a graduate course in public administration, most of the students cheated on a major research analysis project. They said it was because "they didn't have time" to do all the work involved. I found this out after we had turned in the projects. I worked hard on that project and was bummed when I heard about the others cheating. And they probably got a better grade! Needless to say, I dropped out of the public administration graduate program.

SUSAN ALAYA

Ceres