"I think it was just an honest mistake on the part of the class administrators," Johnston said. "I definitely think cheating at MIT is well below where it would be other places."

Some Harvard students said they thought the MIT incident demonstrates that college administrators are too quick to blame students for cheating.

"My reaction initially is one of amusement. They should be more careful to check them out before they make unfounded accusations," Christian A. Garcia '03 said.

Although students felt it was important that college administrators make academic honesty a top priority, they said administrators should not accuse students without substantial evidence.

"On the one hand, you have administrators who are sensitized to the issue," said Seth D. Familian '01. "Academic fairness is the top priority for them. I don't think you can fault them for being overly sensitive."

"But I really think there is a line that has to be drawn," he said. "When you start pushing the line, acting on hearsay, that's where you have a problem."

Familian also emphasized that there is a fine line between cheating and collaboration.