Okay, I must admit that spending the evening speaking about copyright laws, I am left with the fact that it seems to me student at this college are told, if you copy others you could be sued. Now we are used to seeing that at the beginning of movies, but should we have that at the beginning of a college course?

Yes, originality is preferred but when you are learning an art form (and at this college photography is connected with the fine art department and not graphic design) history has had people learn by copying.

In answer to your question - Stupidity, maybe, - lemmings, certainly.