Caught Between Merit and Influence: University Leaders’ Narratives of Handling Academic Dishonesty
Abstract
Academic dishonesty remains a pervasive threat to higher education, undermining the credibility of assessment and eroding trust in meritocracy. While most research has focused on students’ behaviors, relatively little is known about how university leaders adjudicate cases where clear evidence of misconduct collides with political, financial, or reputational pressures. This study addresses that gap by examining the lived experiences of senior academic leaders who confronted such dilemmas. Using a qualitative narrative inquiry design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with vice-chancellors, deans, department heads, and examination controllers who had direct involvement in disciplinary decisions. Thematic narrative analysis revealed five interrelated themes: (1) Merit Confronted by Influence, where external actors intervened to protect students; (2) Moral Distress and Risk Calculus, as leaders balanced fairness against personal and institutional risks; (3) System Gaps and Selective Enforcement, where vague policies and pliable committees undermined consistency; (4) Quiet Fixes and Negotiated Outcomes, illustrating pragmatic compromises that preserved reputation at the expense of deterrence; and (5) Identity Work in Leadership, where leaders positioned themselves as guardians, mediators, or survivors to reconcile their choices. The findings extend ethical decision-making theory by demonstrating the intention–action gap under systemic constraint, and they contribute to institutional theory by showing how informal influence reshapes enforcement. Practically, the study highlights the need for clear sanction matrices, transparent appeal systems, and protection for leaders against external interference. By foregrounding leaders’ narratives, the study underscores that academic integrity is not merely a student issue but a leadership challenge at the heart of higher education.
Keywords: Academic Dishonesty; Higher Education Leadership; Ethical Decision-Making; Institutional Theory; Narrative Inquiry; Academic Integrity
