Speaking of ethics....

Students attending Columbia University's journalism school were caughting cheating on an exam.

An ethics exam.

A take home ethics exam.

A take home, pass/fail, ethics exam that consisted of two questions.

Columbia University officials are lowering the boom on some graduate journalism students suspected of cheating on, of all things, an ethics exam.

The J-schoolers' alleged lapse on the final was reported yesterday by Radar Online.

The exam in question consisted of two essay questions to be completed in 90 minutes any time during a 36-hour period.

Students who took the test early were instructed to avoid discussing the questions with those planning to take it later, but the warning was ignored.

One honorable young scholar got wind of what happened and blew the whistle, sources said.

Vice Dean David Klatell told students in an e-mail that there had been a "serious problem" with the final and ordered them to attend a special session of the class "Critical Issues in Journalism" today - or fail.

The order applies only to the Friday morning section. The evening section is exempt.

It was unclear how many students could be affected.

The course, which includes such issues as "Why be Ethical?" and "Tribal Loyalty vs. Journalistic Obligation," is taught by New York Times columnist Samuel G. Freedman, who could not be reached yesterday.