THE HONOR system at the University of Virginia is more than just a piece of University history. Founded in 1842, the system was created as a means for students to enforce a set of standards by which the community committed to abide. The honor system originally governed a wide range of conduct deemed to be the behavior of a "gentleman," but the system has evolved to include more specific standards as the University has matured. The formal honor code now prohibits acts of lying, cheating and stealing, enforcing a policy of permanent dismissal for any student found guilty of an offense.
Although the honor system's role in the enforcement of academic and personal integrity has developed to encompass a specific range of offenses, the broader definition of honor is one of the most important aspects of student life. Each student at the University is assumed to be honest simply because of his or her role as a member of the University's community of trust. Teachers, administrators, peers and even local merchants know that Virginia students have made a commitment to uphold a community of integrity.
When the community is violated by a breach of the honor code, the University has strict guidelines by which the matter is resolved. Any member of the community may report an offense to the Honor Committee to begin a process of formal investigation. A team of trained student investigators conduct the investigation by gathering evidence in an unbiased investigation.
Once the investigation is complete, the case goes to an investigative panel. At the investigative panel, three elected Honor Committee members decide if sufficient evidence exists to warrant a formal accusation. The panel uses three criteria to define an Honor offense: act, intent and seriousness. If the panel finds an honor offense more likely than not occurred, the panel formally accuses the student. The student must then choose whether or not to request an honor trial. If the student elects not to proceed with the trial and instead chooses to leave the University, he or she is considered to have left admitting guilt, barring the individual from returning to University as a student.
If the student elects to go forward with an honor trial, he or she is given the opportunity to choose the composition of the jury. The student may choose a jury of randomly selected students, a panel of all Honor Committee members or a mix of the two. Members of the pool of honor counsels represent either the student or the community and present the case to the jury. If the jury votes not guilty on the basis of act, intent and seriousness, all evidence from the case is destroyed and all charges are dropped. If the verdict is guilty, the only punishment is permanent dismissal from the University -- also known as the "single sanction."
One important feature of the honor code is the Committee's acceptance of a conscientious retraction. If a student has committed an honor offense but comes forward before knowing that anyone suspects him or her of cheating, the student may make amends for the offense and remain at the University. This feature strengthens the system by allowing a student who has had a momentary lapse in judgment to reaffirm his or her commitment to the community of trust through a voluntary admission of the offense.
To file a conscientious retraction, a student should contact the Honor Committee, whose office is located on the fourth floor of Newcomb Hall. An honor advisor then guides the student through a process of contacting the involved parties and developing a proper method by which the student can make amends.
The honor code at Virginia is serious a matter that can have real implications on students, but the overall effect of honor's presence adds a tremendous amount to the University community. Honor is entirely student run; thus, students are effectively governing themselves, making a statement that the student body supports a community of integrity. This requires a daily commitment to the honor code by the student body, but I believe that by making this commitment to academic and personal integrity, you will come to cherish and enjoy this aspect of the University.
The Honor Committee is comprised of 23 elected members with a pool of over 150 student support officers who handle the day-to-day operations of the system. If you are interested in getting involved with Honor, please visit www.virginia.edu/honor for more details, or e-mail me at hobbs@virginia.edu.
David Hobbs is the chair of the Honor Committee. He is also a Cavalier Daily contributor.
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