Well, it's helpful to keep in mind the main goal here, which is providing young people with an education (and providing society with educated young people), not having the students produce brilliant original work (it's just a school assignment, after all). Being a little more pragmatic, rather than flunking half the students for a prolonged period, probably gets you further.

Of course students need to be thought that plagiarism is not ok, again the question is how to teach them best. The threat of big punishment is not necessarily an effective mean towards reducing "crime". The article also hints at the fact that the cause of the plagiarism is not so much malice, as difficult surcomstances, and a lack of knowledge/skill in students (though the main example around which the article centers, may not give a strong argument for this)

Ok, how about one warning (with 0 credit for that assignment) then expulsion? Come on, college is supposed to be work, not just a frigging party. I get the feeling people just don't care because they figure who gives a fuck, when I get a job I'll just surf the net and cut & paste my way to a paycheck anyway.

Meanwhile, we are losing ground every year in the worldwide competition to produce an educated workforce. You can't just assume every asscrack should get a degree regardless of talent or even the willingness to try, just a little.

I still say the situation is pathetic, and we are right on track to become another deposed colonial power like France or Britain.