10/12/2026

Special Edition of #IntegrityMatters: Remembering the Wit, Wisdom and Advocacy of Derek Newton

by Blaire Wilson, ICAI Board of Directors and Emeriti

The ICAI community mourns the loss of one of our loudest supporters: Derek Newton, author of the Cheat Sheet, who passed away after a battle with cancer. You can read the announcement here from his beloved partner, Danielle. And to Danielle, please accept our deepest condolences as you navigate this loss.

Derek Newton was the keynote speaker at our 2025 conference in Chicago where he gave an engaging talk about how academic integrity news is reported in the media. Derek will be remembered as a creator of critical commentary on the state of higher education and the importance of academic integrity as a cornerstone of education. A few members of ICAI’s current Board of Directors as well as Board Emeriti have shared some reflections about Derek and his impact on our work.

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Everyone at ICAI is devastated at the news that our friend and colleague, Derek Newton, has passed away. Author of the Cheat Sheet and a fierce advocate for academic integrity, he will be remembered fondly for his quick wit and for his constant championing of integrity in academia and beyond. We thank him for his unwavering support for what it means to be a free-thinking, engaged human being in the fight for the soul of learning. And in the spirit of Derek, this post is free of artificial intelligence. - Christian Moriarty

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Greer Murphy writes:

My first real encounter with Derek The Cheat Sheet author came at the dawn of the AI era. He had picked up a local news story featuring me and a former colleague, calling us “educators or administrators” (emphasis mine). I got to tease him about that at ICAI 2025. My first real encounter with Derek the human being was at that same conference. His generosity of spirit and the sincerity with which he engaged our community were truly exceptional. 

He was not a drive-by keynote speaker, who shows up, talks, leaves. He attended session after session, asked thoughtful questions, conversed graciously with fellow participants. Most of all, he listened. We managed to stay in touch after Chicago–I like to think we became friends–and I’ll always be grateful for how vociferously he championed so many integrity practitioners’ work, including mine.   

That’s what I’ll miss most about Derek. His courage, of course–but also his selflessness, and his empathy. The world does feel like a less integrous place today, with news of his passing. I hope we find ways to honor his legacy, balancing care for each other with care for the pursuit of truth, fairness, and other values I know mattered to him. 

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From David Rettinger:

Derek and I didn’t always agree. In fact, I used to wait to read The Cheat Sheet until after my morning coffee to keep my blood pressure under control. What better tribute to a journalist than that his work was a must-read every time it came out, and that it moved readers to action? Derek was uncompromising in his support for academic integrity and had no time for apologists. His mind was always open to the possibility that he had missed something and willing to give equal space to those who disagreed. He did all of this while being funny and generous with his time and ideas. When I saw a Cheat Sheet in my mailbox this morning I was so excited to hear what Derek was up to, and devastated when I realized I’ll never have that feeling again. Thanks Derek, for challenging all of us to live up to your passion.

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As a shadow editor for The Cheat Sheet, I was able to enjoy working with Derek doing work he loved. We disagreed often, particularly about when to italicize the name of a paper or magazine, but our correspondence gave us both new perspectives to consider and research to review. Those conversations, while intellectually engaging, were not why working with Derek was a great experience. Instead, it was the little things. During a busy week, I'd fire off a terse email, attaching a Word Document with revisions, but Derek always took the time to respond to my comments and check in. Derek's ability to relate, to find the heart of a story, and to connect with both colleagues and critics was a rare gift. I am going to miss working with him. - Courtney Cullen

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Tricia Bertram Gallant writes:

Although Derek’s The Cheat Sheet was acerbic and sometimes even made me, a naturally sarcastic Canadian, gasp, it was also honest and necessary to cut to the heart of the unaddressed problems in education that lead to cheating. He spoke with passion and a mission of truth, and he was uniquely dedicated to calling out the hypocrisies and willful ignorance of so many people and institutions who just let cheating slide without allocating time, resources and talent to it. He was, without a doubt, a friend to integrity and a relentless missionary for all of its fundamental values. His humor, intelligence, generosity, humility, honesty, and investigative journalism will be missed. He will be missed, by me.

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Derek was known for saying things out loud (or at least in writing) that many had thought but were afraid to say. He also caused us to really think about what was really important and was always open for a discussion. Getting to know Derek over the past several years meant getting to know someone who was always honest, but cared so deeply. It was clear he not only cared about academic integrity, he cared about us, each of us, as individuals. I am thankful for the time I was able to spend with Derek (and Danielle when she accompanied him on his keynote). I knew I could count on his writings to teach me something - whether I wanted to know it or not - and I knew any interaction I had with him was one of genuineness, care and concern with what was going on with me, what was going on with higher education, and what was going on with academic integrity. Derek will be missed and I express deep sympathies to Danielle and their family. - Camilla Roberts

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Kelly Ahuna writes:

Derek Newton made me better at my job. As an avid reader of The Cheat Sheet, I knew that he took to task anything that he regarded as flawed policy or faulty reasoning when it came to academic integrity. And so I never wanted to see my name in his substack. On more than one occasion, I stopped to think about how a decision I made would be interpreted by Derek and to make sure I was confident in my actions. That feeling that someone was paying attention, keeping track, fighting for common sense and a true commitment to academic integrity was invaluable. 

When I met Derek at the ICAI conference in Chicago, I was so pleased to find that he was not scary! In fact, he was lovely. He had a real sense that we were all on the same team, working to protect the value of education. He even gave me his card. I will keep it on my desk as a reminder to keep fighting for integrity. 

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As you can see above, Derek will be remembered for challenging us, for his quick-wittedness, for his kind and generous spirit, and so much more. Similar to others, I read The Cheat Sheet regularly. When we were planning the 2025 conference, we had the thought to invite him as a keynote speaker. I was so nervous to send that message to him which brings me a smile now because he was so gracious about his time and quite a joy to work with. We had so many things beyond academic integrity in common and spent probably way too much time talking about politics in my home state. I can picture vividly being greeted with that signature Derek smile when we crossed paths in Denver. I will miss seeing him at our conferences.  

Discussing the way academic integrity news was followed by the media was a key issue in conversations with Derek. Derek commented to me once about how he enjoyed that ICAI was a community of people who do this work, meaning promoting academic integrity across our different campuses. Derek was part of our community. His version of “this work” looked different from many of us, but his work was important. As an academic professional in integrity work, it meant so much to have a resource like the Cheat Sheet. It filtered through the fast pace of the news around us and brought academic integrity into even sharper focus. 

ICAI extends our deepest condolences to Danielle, and the rest of Derek’s family. 

   Blaire Wilson, ICAI President