School of Humanities School Board Room 200, MVP Student Leadership Center, Ateneo de Manila University

School of Humanities Sanggunian Stand For Intellectual Integrity

On August 15, 2012, Senator Vicente Sotto III made a privilege speech before the Senate on his position towards the Reproductive Health bill. Parts of his statements were directly quoted, without citation, from a blog by American blogger Sarah Pope, as well as from several other sources. Though his attention was called, Senator Sotto as well as members of his staff justified their actions by stating that it has become a common practice in politics to copy from existing sources without the rigorous citation seen in the academe. The School of Humanities Sanggunian condemns these acts of plagiarism by Senator Sotto and his staff. We affirm that plagiarism is a crime not only against the plagiarized party, but also against the value of intellectual honesty. Acknowledging when one uses someone elses work shows proper respect for the original creator and the effort he or she originally invested. To do otherwise puts forth the impression that one is claiming credit for the effort of someone else, which is deceitful both as regards the creator as well as towards ones audience. We likewise condemn the subsequent claims by Sen. Sotto and his staff that [in] politics... we should give more leeway1. This is disrespectful not only to the original creators and to the Senate, but to the country as a whole. The repetitive language seen in laws is due in large part to their being governed by legal terminology, and cannot be used as a standard for speeches, which are not likewise restricted. Furthermore, if we continually challenge our students to respect other peoples rights to intellectual property and to observe intellectual honesty, how much more our politicians, who are called to represent, serve, and lead the country? Comments that brush plagiarism off as acceptable simply because it is common practice can both encourage such behavior as well as make a mockery of the effort put in by those who do properly acknowledge their sources. As representatives of the School of Humanities, whose courses develop their students to express ideas through academic, critical, and creative output, we uphold the need for proper recognition for all who contribute their own thought and work to the world. We recognize that these are more than matters of legality--of copyright law and violated sensitivity, as Sen. Sotto might say--but of respect for craft and effort, which must be observed regardless of legal loopholes. Ms. Pope is not just a blogger; she and those like her promote the spirit of open, public exchange and creative work, something which must be respected, not disparaged. We call on our constituents in the School of Humanities, and on all students, artists, writers, critics, performers, and other practitioners and advocates of the humanities and the liberal arts: 1) to stand with us in upholding academic integrity; 2) to be diligent in acknowledging sources for their own work, as they would want to likewise be acknowledged in turn; 3) to be vigilant in spotting and reporting cases of plagiarism, of their own and of others work; and 4) to call upon their own government officials and school administrators to strictly implement more effective policies regarding intellectual honesty so as to further protect the rights of content creators everywhere.

Cathy C. Yamsuan, Plagiarism common practice, OK in Senate, says Sottos aide, Inquirer News, http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/255890/plagiarism-common-practice-ok-in-senate-says-sottos-aide (accessed August 23, 2012).
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