The Honor Committee voted 20-0 last night in favor of Committee Chair David Truetzel's proposal to modify the current Semester at Sea trial procedures for students who are found guilty of committing an honor offense aboard the program's ship.
Under the Committee's old Semester at Sea policy, any student who was found guilty of an academic honor offense was expelled from the program and expelled from the University if he was a University student at the time of the voyage. If the convicted student did not attend the University, he was barred from applying or transferring to the University in the future. The alleged honor offense and trial aboard the ship were investigated by the registrar and other University officials, and students aboard the ship served on the jury in most circumstances.
Under the proposal adopted last night, however, any student who is found guilty of an honor offense aboard the ship now will have 30 days to request additional proceedings with Committee members in Charlottesville to re-investigate the case. If the Committee members determine that an honor offense did not occur and drop the case before it makes its way to a second trial, or if the student is found not guilty during a second trial, he is readmitted to the University or given the option to apply to the University in the future.
The Committee also debated an alternate Semester at Sea proposal brought forth by Graduate School Representatives Alexander Cohen and Edward Lee. Cohen and Lee's proposal stated that any University student accused of an honor offense aboard the ship would have been automatically alerted to Committee members in Charlottesville. Then, two separate trials would be held: one by the Semester at Sea program and one by the Committee at the University. Non-University students would only go through the process aboard the ship and would be allowed to apply to the University later, even if found guilty.
Though Cohen's proposal was not passed, he said he believes Truetzel's proposal addresses the same program-related problems relatively well.
In "practical consequences it really isn't all that different," Cohen said about the differences between the two proposals.
Overall, Truetzel said the Committee's ongoing discussions about Semester at Sea have proven beneficial.
"It brought up a lot of theoretical issues in terms of how honor applies in places besides Charlottesville," Truetzel said, adding that he is pleased the Committee "rectified a problem before the next voyage."
The amendment will go into effect before the next Semester at Sea voyage begins in January, but Truetzel said he will recommend to the program's academic leadership to follow the new trial process in the event any cases arise in the meantime.
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