Students won’t be able to cheat on Blackboard tests soon. As long as they don’t have a smart phone. Or a book. Or another computer.

The implementation of the LockDown Browser from Respondus was one of the issues debated at last Wednesday’s SGA meeting. Class of 2012 Representative Tom Galo said chemistry and biology classes have tested the browser, and there are plans for more widespread implementation.

According to the Respondus website, the LockDown browser stops students from printing, copying, going to another URL, or accessing other applications while they take a test. Students are locked into the program until they submit their assignment. It costs $3,545 for a campus-wide license for LockDown for a school of Quinnipiac’s size.

• Watch how the Respondus LockDown Browser works

Class of 2012 Representative Dan Scott asked if this would send the message that Quinnipiac does not trust students. He also said his research had shown technical problems with the software.

“There’s a couple of other schools that utilize the same program, and there’s been instances where it’s caused issues with computers, causing registry changes,” Scott said. “Which can result in ultimately having to get your whole computer fixed.”

Peter Longo, a recently-elected Class of 2011 representative, agreed.

“I don’t think students going on other websites is the only way kids can cheat. I think if kids are going to cheat they can just as easily open a Blackberry.”

Galo called the LockDown Browser the first step to lowering the amount of cheating.

“People will still be able to use their Blackberry or another computer,” he said. “But this is really something that will make cheating numbers go down.”

As discussion on LockDown wound down, Vice President of Student Concerns Nicholas Rossetti directed Scott to look into the browser’s technical problems and present his findings to SGA.

“If there is a substantial degree of risk to implementing this kind of program, then I don’t think it would be fair to mandate that it is implemented,” Rossetti said.

Galo said that the technical problems were being fixed, but if students have any concerns they should bring them up with SGA.

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