Last night, members of the Honor Committee discussed education and outreach plans for the upcoming semester and debated a bylaw amendment at their weekly meeting.
In an effort to increase involvement of Honor educators in the honor system, Vice Chair for Education Ryann Burke noted the Committee made substantial changes during the summer to the procedure of planning education events.
“Educators were not very involved in the system and they did not have enough responsibility,” she explained.
Now, educators, with the assistance of the Committee, are responsible for planning and executing nine to 10 Honor education events this semester. Burke added the Committee will review the effectiveness of the efforts and update them if needed in the spring.
In other efforts to increase involvement, the Committee discussed the future of the Honor Blog. The community forum, an initiative started by former Committee member Josh Hess, will continue this semester with a few changes, said Tyler Alexander, vice chair for community relations.
The Committee hopes to encourage posting from more “members of Honor and other community members,” Alexander said.
Chair Jessica Huang echoed Alexander’s sentiments, adding that opening the blog to University alumni may also be beneficial.
In other business, Vice Chair for Trials Sophie Staples proposed an amendment to the jury panel bylaw.
The bylaw currently states that students can select one of three types of jury panels: a panel of only Honor Committee members, a randomly selected group of students or a mixed panel of Honor Committee members and randomly selected students. The proposed amendment would require the accused to notify the vice chair for trials of a jury panel change request at least 14 days before a trial, though the Committee will make a “reasonable effort” to accommodate requests made closer to the date of the trial, Staples said.
Darden Rep. Chuck Fellers, however, noted proposing a tentative deadline for panel changes may cause more complications for the Committee.
“If we are going to make a deadline, it might be more efficient to not allow any variation,” Fellers explained.
Graduate Arts & Sciences Rep. Adam Trusner also raised concerns about the language of the proposed amendment.
The word ‘reasonable’ is a constantly debated legal term because defining a ‘reasonable’ act is relative, Trusner said, adding that to include such subjective language may cause unnecessary confusion for both the accused and the Committee.
Huang noted the Committee will consider both issues concerning the bylaw at its next meeting.
Read More
Winsome Earle-Sears talks higher education in first U.Va. event of the campaign
By Ford McCracken | 15 hours agoA Jamaican immigrant and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Earle-Sears is the first female lieutenant governor of Virginia,
U.Va.'s Earth Day Eco-Fair 2025 spotlights sustainability advocacy
By Leigh Bailey | 16 hours agoStudents from Contracted Independent Organizations and University Office of Sustainability leadership programs each shared their unique perspectives about sustainability advocacy on Grounds.
Student Council votes to relocate Hereford orchard and basketball hoop
By Lauren Seeliger | YesterdayStudent Council passed a resolution Tuesday to relocate the orchard and basketball hoop of Hereford Residential College due to construction in the surrounding area.
