Easy access to the World Wide Web has generated an increase in the use of plagiarism for many people across the United States.

According to Grace Weigel, program coordinator for Judicial Affairs, the number of reported plagiarism cases at ISU is quite small compared to national statistics.

However, at least a dozen cases of plagiarism are reported each year to the university. Kathleen MacKay, dean of students, said plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty and is not tolerated on the ISU campus.

According to the ISU Student Handbook, the punishment for academic dishonesty can range from a simple reprimand by an ISU official to an indefinite expulsion from the university pending an All-University Judiciary Hearing. In addition, if a person does not acknowledge the author of information obtained from the Web, it is an offense comparable to theft and fraud.

Whatever the reason, plagiarism is wrong and unethical. Even if time is saved because one copies another’s work, the work is meaningless if the person is caught committing plagiarism.

What is the point of students paying large sums of money to attend college if they don’t take the time to complete assignments and learn from them?

Stealing another person’s work doesn’t advance one’s education in the long run. If people set the goal of simply getting through college as soon as possible by utilizing the Web in a criminal fashion, they will find themselves sorely lacking in their college education and experience.

Everyone should beware — the penalties for getting caught are high and outweigh the benefits of Web plagiarism.