After completing leadership transitions in the beginning of April, the members of the 2015-16 Honor Committee have said they are looking forward to a productive term in which they hope to establish a deeper connection to students and foster discussion about the newly-approved referenda.
Honor Chair Faith Lyons, a third-year Commerce student, said the referenda will most likely be the biggest topic talked about during this term.
“The past two meetings we have spent addressing the referenda and discussing what we are going to do,” Lyons said. “This summer will be spent doing a lot of research on the third referenda — the multi-sanction system — with the hopes of holding the popular assembly from the first referenda in mid-October, or late-November at the latest, and using that as an opportunity for student feedback as far as what we put on the ballot in February.”
Lyons said the Committee will try to remain as transparent with students as possible in order to give them an opportunity to voice their opinions. Reforming the informed retraction will also be a big topic of conversation in the coming term, Lyons said.
“Informed retraction is a little over two years old and is arguably the biggest change to the system in at least a decade — and that is a part of our system that students don't know very much about,” Lyons said. “Reforming the IR, making important changes to that and educating students will also be a big part of our term.”
Lyons also said that educating the University community and getting feedback from faculty will also be an important goal of the new term. Overall, Lyons said her vision for the term is creating a more transparent atmosphere of connection between students and the Honor Committee.
“I want to make Honor more accessible, and doing that in a way where if you are an incoming first year or a graduating fourth year, if you have a question about Honor, you would know who to go to,” Lyons said. “I want to connect Honor better with students so that we can both answer questions and also get ideas in a more full way by getting Honor out there and making sure students feel a connection.”
Lyons said the Committee has a lot of work to do, both in terms of the referenda and other goals, but is very optimistic for what is to come.
“I’m excited to hear feedback and then respond to that feedback in a way that students feel is meaningful,” Lyons said. “I cannot wait to work with the 26 others representatives and represent students as well as we can.”
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