Is this a case of academic dishonesty? What would you have done if you were in Lucy’s place? How could the problem have been solved differently?
Response 1: Lucy put her own grade at risk by not doing as the TA said. Now both she and Susan could receive failing grades on the exam. It would have been better if Lucy and Susan had talked to the professor about Lucy's problems with English well before the exam. The professor might have been able to accommodate Lucy's needs better if he had know there was a problem.
Response 2: This is a very tough situation. I do not believe it was academic dishonesty, but it is a situation that should be avoided because it is so ambiguous. If Susan had a hearing disability or learning, she would be able to ask the Office of Disability services to arrange for extra accommodation. Although lack of English proficiency id not "recognized" as a disability, Susan might still want to speak with her advisor about her problems with English in the class. If this were early in the semester, it might make sense to receive extra tutoring in scientific English.
If I were an instructor, I would re-test Susan, possibly with a Narnian translator present. I would also speak with Lacy, but it would have to be a judgment call as to whether I thought she was being truthful.
Response 3: This is a situation where Lucy has allowed herself to be put into a compromising position. Her reputation is in jeopardy whether or not she is only translating the questions. Susan should have been tested (TOEFL) before being allowed to register for the class to see if she could handle the vocabulary. She also should communicate with the professor early in the duration of the course to make him or her aware of her challenge with the English language and science vocabulary. Early measures can be agreed upon between Susan and the professor so that she can be helped to study and pass the tests. If she cannot qualify properly due to her language problems she should be directed to take some English language courses.
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