By Melissa Hancock
Everybody has had a time or two when they wished they had a camera on them, but while taking a test in class is a new one.
With the increasing popularity of camera cell phones, there has also been concern with what people use these camera phones for.
Cell phones are being used to cheat.
Reports of students using cell phones to cheat in class have included taking pictures of tests and copying the answers from the screen.
“Cell phones should not be used in any testing setting at BYU,” said Michael Smart, BYU spokesperson. “Cell phones with cameras are becoming an issue not just at BYU, but in testing settings across the country, and even in fitness centers and businesses.”
According to the Wall Street Journal, there are some schools in the nation that are banning cell phones including schools in New York City.
The problem at BYU doesn”t seem as extensive.
“Since I”ve been here, which has been 5 or 6 years in this position, I don”t remember any official report coming in to us about that,” said Steve Baker, director of the Honor Code office.
Though cell phone cheating seems to be a growing problem and concern among schools, Baker says he doesn”t think there is an expanding problem at BYU.
Baker said he knows there are new things available now, and things pop up that haven”t been seen before.
“But it”s not like we are being barraged by it,” Baker said.
Some professors are more concerned about the distraction that cell phones can be in the classroom.
Professor Richard Long, associate chair in the Department of Communications, tells his students to bring doughnuts for the class if their phone goes off during lecture.
Long said it is mainly to encourage students to turn off their phones when they are in class.
“It”s a discipline issue,” Long said. “Unless the White House is calling, I think that they can wait until after class to see who is calling.”
Long said he had never had any cheating problems involving phones.
“It never occurred to me,” he said. ” I don”t know if I have ever had a student answer a phone when taking tests. It”s never a major problem and I surely have never seen any evidence of cheating with a phone.”
Many BYU students with camera phones just have fun with them.
“I haven”t even heard about [cheating],” said Denise Baptista, a sophomore from Rhode Island who owns a camera cell phone. “I would have never even thought about it.”
“It”s more for fun and I use it often,” Baptista said.
Camera cell phones can send pictures to e-mail addresses and then the pictures can print out.
“It”s like going to the grocery store and buying a bag of candy,” said Alex Parker, a junior from Washington. “Even through its kind of a waste of money, it”s the most exciting purchase. That”s how my cell phone is. The picture thing is not a big deal or necessity, but I love it.”
