Academic grade performance can be influenced by individual attributes, including motivation, attitudes, and beliefs. These attributes can be manifested by current events, such as technology or world events. Through a survey-based study using validated measures coupled with student grade performance at three instances during their tenure in higher education, we document that attributes common to current students influence academic grade performance differently for higher versus lower performers. Among other findings, we identify that higher performing students’ grade performance is positively affected by the attributes: fear of punishment and distributive justice; while lower performing students’ grades were not affected by those attributes. We provide practical recommendations for faculty to help influence attributes in order to potentially improve academic grade performance. Indeed, this study has important implications for those involved in fostering student success.

Cheating in higher education has numerous negative implications, including degrading program reputations, inflating student retention rates, and cultivating poor ethical practices, all of which have implications for what students do in the workplace after graduation. Therefore, by understanding the current student population, Generation Z, it is argued that faculty are better equipped to combat cheating behaviors. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior and Deterrence Theory, this study examines factors that faculty can influence, in particular, assignment controls to deter cheating and types of assignments given. Generation Z students indicated that their perceptions of faculty’s use of assignment controls increased their perception of getting caught, which, in turn, decreased cheating intentions. Students were more likely to cheat on coursework over written assignments and examinations. Furthermore, assignment controls create the greatest decrease in coursework cheating. This study has important implications for those involved in minimizing cheating opportunities.