Students Admit to Cell Phone Cheating

By STEPHEN MANNING
Associated Press Writer

ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) -- Six University of Maryland students have
admitted cheating on an accounting exam by using their cell phones to
receive text messages with the answers, the school said Thursday.
Another six students were implicated in the case.

The scheme worked this way: Test-takers brought their cell phones
into the exam with them. They used the phones to contact friends
outside the classroom. The friends looked up the exam answer key that
had been posted on the Internet by the professor once the test had
started. Then the friends messaged the answers back to the test-
takers.

Officials with the university business school said they caught the
students in a sting: A fake answer key with bogus answers was posted
online after the exam began last month; then the exams were checked
to see which test-takers put down the bogus answers.

It appears most of the 12 students hatched the plan independently of
each other, said John Zacker, head of the university's office of
judicial programs. He said it was the biggest cheating scheme
uncovered on campus involving cell phones.

"We've had isolated cases in past semesters, but not in these
numbers," he said.

The case highlights the struggle schools face as they try to keep up
with technologically savvy students. Hitotsubashi University in Japan
failed 26 students in December for receiving e-mailed exam answers on
their cell phones.

The scope of the Maryland case is unprecedented nationally, said
Diane Waryold, executive director of Duke University's Center for
Academic Integrity. It is also a sign that students might have a
technological edge on their older professors, she said.

"It's a generational issue," she said. "It's safe to say our students
are far more sophisticated."

The six Maryland students who confessed will fail the class and have
a mark placed on their transcript that indicates they cheated. Five
others either met with school officials or are awaiting trial by the
school's student honor council.

The 12th student died over the winter break. Zacker did not know the
circumstances surrounding the death and would not release the
student's name.

The council is also looking for the people who sent the text messages
to exam-takers, Zacker said.

Provost William Destler sent a letter to faculty members over the
weekend recommending they not post answer keys while an exam is
ongoing. The school has no plans to bar students from bringing cell
phones to class, Zacker said.

The number of Maryland students caught cheating has risen recently,
from 97 cases in the fall semester of 2001 to 156 cases in the fall
semester of 2002, Zacker said.

The use of cell phones is a new twist. Many phones allow text
messages to be passed back and forth silently. The accounting exam
was monitored by proctors walking the aisles who failed to notice the
cheating.
 

Back on the Mapp
Three seasons, four surgeries later, Virginia guard returns
Posted: Thursday January 30, 2003 12:44 PM

It's the part they don't tell you about when you're a hot-shot recruit from the Bronx with a flashy name and even flashier game and it seems like the world is your oyster.

It's the last thing you ever imagined when you were playing in high school all-star games alongside guys like Jason Williams and Nick Collison and Jason Gardner.

Surely the next four years for you, like for them, will be all about championships, All-America teams and maybe even the NBA lottery.

Not if you're Majestic Mapp.

One day during the summer following his freshman year at Virginia, Mapp was writhing in pain on the floor of his high school gym, the victim of an ACL tear in a pickup basketball game.

The next 2 ˝ years were all about hospital beds and exercise bikes, four surgeries on your right knee over a 14-month period, 70 missed games and thousands upon thousands of hours of rehabilitation. He watched his former peers on the prep scene win titles and get drafted, all the while wondering whether he'd ever even play again.

Even his coach, Pete Gillen, the man who made him his first recruit at Virginia and planned on making him a cornerstone of his program, admits now, "I thought he'd never play again."

But finally the day came earlier this month when he was able to run onto the court against North Carolina to the same kind of ovation normally reserved for a Gardner or a Collison. A few games later, he was helping his team to an 85-75 upset of Wake Forest.

He scored only three points in 17 minutes, but as far as his teammates were concerned, he was the star of the game.

"It could almost bring a man to tears," said Virginia forward Jason Rogers, Mapp's roommate. "You've seen him from the days he was in pain, you've seen him in days where he'd come along only to have another setback. To finally see him out there and playing pain free, enjoying the time -- it's very heartwarming."

Mapp's story is more than heartwarming, it's remarkable. It's uplifting yet sad all at the same time.

The latest in a long line of New York City prodigees, the 6-foot-1 point guard was once on the fast track to stardom. "Like Ed Cota, but with a much better outside shot," raved recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons, rating Mapp behind only future Duke star Williams among the nation's point guards that year.

Of his 20 teammates in the 1999 McDonald's All-American Game, 10 have gone on to the NBA and another nine are senior stars for some of the nation's top teams. Mapp planned to be one of them.

"I would like to think right now would be my senior year, and I would be an All-American candidate like [teammate] Travis Watson," said Mapp. "I guess it didn't happen that way."

No, it did not.

His first season, Mapp averaged 18.7 minutes and 5.3 points, modest but respectable for a freshman point guard, most of whom make their biggest strides their second season.

Mapp's second season got put on hold on Aug. 2, 2000, the night he tore his ACL. Mapp underwent surgery Aug. 29, knowing the six- to eight-month recovery period likely would cost him the season.

What he didn't anticipate was that the knee wouldn't heal correctly, requiring a follow-up arthroscopic procedure the following April and, more devastating, another reconstruction six months later, sidelining him for yet another season.

Following one more scope, Mapp declared himself ready to go for the 2002-03 season and practiced full-strength for about 10 days last October, but the knee began feeling weaker and weaker. His return was delayed again.

Wouldn't it seem like even the strongest person would be ready to throw in the towel at this point? As frustrated as he was, Mapp never wavered in his rigorous rehabilitation process.

"After so many setbacks, the man's determination hasn't changed from day one, freshman year," said Rogers. "What makes me so amazed at the man, he'll come and practice for two, two-and-a-half hours, stay after and shoot, come home and ask me for a ride to the local fitness center so he can ride the bike."

"I believe that winners never quit and quitters never win," said Mapp. "I love basketball to the point I wasn't going to give up without at least getting to play again."

After gradually easing his way back into practice, he finally got that chance Jan. 11 with a brief but emotional first-half stint against the Tar Heels. After DNPs against Duke and Clemson and another token appearance against Virginia Tech, Mapp made his presence felt against Wake Forest, sparking a combined 42-24 run during his 17 minutes on the floor.

His return couldn't have come at a better time for Virginia, which for the better part of two seasons has relied primarily on the overmatched Keith Jenifer to run the point.

"[Mapp] helps us a lot," said Gillen. "He has a lot of emotion, a lot of energy. I think he sees the court well, and not playing for two years helped his knowledge even more so he could see some gaps or holes in the defense."

Mapp, who will have two more seasons if he petitions for a sixth year of eligibility, knows he still has a way to go on his road back to stardom, but patience is hardly a virtue he's lacking.

"For the most part, I don't measure myself on what I could do before [the injury]; sometimes that gets discouraging," said Mapp. "For the most part, I just work as hard as I can."

Harder than he ever could have imagined.
 

Phoebus star headed to prep school
Published January 31, 2003

Philip Brown, a highly recruited 5-foot-11, 185-pound defensive back, has decided to leave Phoebus High early to attend a prep school in the spring. He will enroll at either Fork Union Military Academy or Hargrave Miltary Academy, and will likely spend the remainder of this school year and all of next school year at one of the schools.

Brown committed to Virginia on Jan. 15.

What's he thinking?
Ellis has six days to decide between four schools
By Norm Wood
Daily Press
Published January 31, 2003

There's a running ledger of positives and negatives Chris Ellis has been putting together in his head for the last month. He adds more to each side with each college he visits and each coach he speaks with.

Now, with college football's national signing day six days away, it's time to total the ledger. He's getting a little help from some friends.

Ellis, a 6-foot-5, 245-pound defensive end from Bethel High, is trying to decide where he fits in best. He has narrowed it down to Virginia Tech, Virginia, Tennessee and Maryland. Ellis says the Hokies are his favorite, but added that Tech's advantage may be the product of timing. He visited the campus last weekend.

"I'm planning on taking off a week from all the recruiting stuff and clearing my head," said Ellis, who got in-home visits from his finalists this week. "I'm going to make my announcement at Bethel on signing day at 7:15 in the morning. I'll make my decision off of gut feeling and comparing notes and talking about it with my parents."

Every school has its redeeming qualities.

Virginia? It's all about the coaching staff.

"They're young, but they know what's going on," Ellis said. "They're football-smart, but I got the feeling that they can also relate to the recruits and players even though we're younger than them."

Maryland? The team sells the program.

"That's a good group of guys up there," Ellis said. "I really like their team. They all get along and it feels like a big family."

Tennessee? Well, it's all about the SEC scene and the facilities.

"You always want to play in front of 108,000 people," Ellis said.

Virginia Tech? The Hokies gave Ellis plenty to think about. They did it by putting on a show.

When Ellis sat down in Tech's film room last Saturday, he got a surprise. Inserted in clips of Hokie defensive ends Cols Colas, Nathaniel Adibi and Jim Davis chasing down quarterbacks and running backs, Hokies assistant coach Charley Wiles had spliced in film of Ellis ... chasing down quarterbacks and running backs at Bethel. The jerseys were different but it was like Ellis was watching himself next year.

"I was stunned," said Ellis, who has a 2.4 core grade point average and is close to attaining a qualifying ACT or SAT score. "It was like my jaw dropped. I just kind of laughed and sat back and said to myself, 'OK, I see what this is all about.' It definitely made me think about what I could be doing if I went to Tech."

Later that day, the recruits were taken to Tech's men's basketball game against St. John's, where they received a standing ovation.

As Ellis and Adibi kicked back in Cassell Coliseum, the next surprise danced before their eyes.

A group of kids held a poster in front of the recruits that read "Fab Five, We Want You."

On the poster was written the names of Adibi, Ellis, linebacker Vince Hall, running back Rodney Kinlaw and wide receiver Chase Anastasio. All five are among the nation's best players. All five were at Cassell.

If the film and the poster weren't enough, Ellis was hosted by free safety Jimmy Williams, a former Bethel standout and one of Ellis' best friends.

Phoebus High's Xavier Adibi also took his official visit to Virginia Tech last weekend.

It was no coincidence that he went on the trip with Ellis. The pair visited Maryland together earlier this month, and mutually decided to cancel visits to N.C. State this weekend.

Both Adibi and Ellis were first-team Daily Press All-Stars and are two of the nation's most sought-after defensive recruits.

Adibi, a 6-2, 210-pound linebacker, is deciding between Virginia Tech and Tennessee and will make his announcement next Tuesday in a 2 p.m. press conference at Phoebus.

Could a package deal be in the works?

"We've talked about how we'd like to go to the same school because we could both play key roles and fit in well," Adibi said. "That could definitely be something that happens. For me, Virginia Tech and Tennessee are pretty even, but I think Chris was pretty impressed by Virginia Tech last week."

So, with decision day near, Ellis says things are becoming more clear. It's an enviable thing to do, but it is the decision of a lifetime. He's going to be sure he makes the right one.