Princeton will require instructors to proctor in-class exams

In short: Princeton faculty voted to require instructors to watch students during in-class exams starting July 1, after growing concern about AI-assisted cheating.

What happened

Princeton has long used an honor code system where professors do not proctor, or supervise, students during in-class tests. Students instead write a pledge at the start of each exam saying they did not break the rules, and they are expected to report cheating they see.

Recent reports suggest that system is under strain. A 2025 survey of Princeton seniors found 29.9 percent said they cheated on at least one assignment or exam. The number was higher among engineering students at 40.8 percent. The same survey found 44.6 percent of seniors said they had witnessed cheating and did not report it.

Administrators said “generative AI” tools, meaning chatbots that can write answers on demand (like a fast, always-on homework helper), have lowered the effort needed to cheat. Because these tools can be used on a small personal device like a phone, cheating can be harder for nearby students to notice. Princeton also noted that social media can discourage reporting, since students fear being publicly identified and targeted.

This week, Princeton faculty voted to require instructor proctoring for all in-class exams beginning July 1. Only one faculty member objected. Instructors are expected to observe and take notes, not directly intervene, and serve as an additional witness if a case goes to the university’s Honor Court.

Why it matters

Many schools have moved back to in-person tests to reduce AI cheating. Princeton’s change shows that even in-person exams can be vulnerable if rules and classroom oversight do not keep up.

Source: Arstechnica