Re: “University of Victoria turns efforts to rooting out cheaters,” Feb. 17.

The article states that, according to various studies, “only” nine or 18 or maybe 35 or maybe 53 per cent of students (depending on the study), admit to cheating on written or “serious” tests.

Am I to feel comforted that “only” nine or 18 or 35 or 53 per cent of the future doctors treating me and my family, “only” nine or 18 or 35 or 53 per cent of the engineers designing my bridges (my crude-oil pipelines, my automobiles, the super-tankers on my coast), were cheating on their exams?

Should I feel that, although they cheated on their tests, they are still qualified to do their jobs, or should I feel that, by extrapolation, only 91 or 82 or maybe 65 or 47 per cent of these people are qualified to keep me and my family and my friends safe?

It could have been an important article, but I think you blew it. I don’t think your article truly addressed the seriousness of what is probably a huge problem.

Pat Wardell

Duncan

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