Fourth-year College student Laura Howard officially stepped down from her position as Honor Committee chair Monday and was succeeded by Thomas Ackleson, recently elected Committee chair and third-year Engineering student. Howard’s term was defined by a commitment to reforming key procedures, expanding student and faculty engagement and strengthening trust in the honor system.
Howard described her time on the Committee as a defining experience. Initially drawn to Honor for the opportunity to support students through the trial process, she soon found herself deeply committed to restorative justice and civic engagement within the honor system and her life in general.
“Joining Honor was one of the happiest accidents of my life,” Howard said. “While I entered as a debate kid seeking to learn about trial advocacy and hearing procedures before law school, my experiences with the Honor Committee have cemented my passion for restorative justice, civic engagement and our community of trust.”
Howard’s involvement with the Honor Committee began when she joined the support officer pool in her first year at the University as an investigator and counselor, where she would gather information and represent parties during the case process.
She was later chosen to be a senior investigator and counselor, joining the selections and recruitment subcommittee where she managed the support officer application process and interviewed students for Honor positions. Howard was thereafter elected a College representative on the Honor Committee in her second year at the University. Howard also served as vice chair for hearings where she oversaw the investigator and counselor pool before being re-elected in her third year.
A significant focus of Howard’s tenure was the introduction of new procedures for appeals and non-compliance proceedings. These reforms were designed to provide students — who had not been following their sanctioned punishments — with the opportunity to properly explain and defend themselves before the Committee with the assistance of their assigned support officers. Under the previous Committee, students alleged to be in non-compliance with their Honor proceedings could be further punished by the executive committee.
“It was the opinion of our committee that because these proceedings carried the civil sanction of expulsion, students would have the opportunity to share their side of the story on what happened and have the assistance of the Honor Council and their advisor,” Howard said.
Beyond procedural changes, Howard prioritized outreach efforts to improve student and faculty engagement with the honor system. Howard said she saw progress in building trust with the Board of Visitors and University administration. She also described her active role in shaping discussions about the future of student self-governance, emphasizing the importance of student-led disciplinary processes and effectively communicating the value of Honor to key stakeholders such as faculty and administrators, to solidify its place as a cornerstone of University life.
“[We have] focused on bringing in students that … [we didn’t have] a relationship [of trust] with in the past, and bringing them back to the table,” Howard said. “ ... the Committee also must continue building back the trust of faculty and administrators. Members of faculty are important stakeholders in the Honor system, … upholding our community of trust and extending trust to their students in the process.”
One of the most tangible manifestations of this effort to extend trust to students was Honor Week according to Howard. She, along with Ian Novak, outgoing vice chair for the graduate community and graduate Batten student, and Will Hancock, outgoing vice chair for the undergraduate community and third-year College student, made significant efforts to strengthen relationships with the student body throughout the Committee’s second annual Honor Week, a now yearly celebration of the honor system focused on outreach to the broader student community.
Despite multiple snow days cancelling classes and events, Howard noted that Honor Week saw strong attendance and facilitated meaningful conversations about honor at the University.
“Even though we had the unfortunate snowstorm, the events that we did host, of all the events that we had planned were really special, and I'm hopeful that the Committee will continue them next year,” Howard said.
One event Howard said she was particularly proud of was an Honor Week event featuring a fireside chat and a keynote session from Thomas Hall, former Honor chair and Class of 2002 alumnus, and Mike Lenox, former Honor chair and Class of 1993 alumnus, highlighted reflections on the system’s significance and evolution over time. The event provided an opportunity for students to engage with the Committee and offer feedback, fostering a greater sense of community involvement in the system’s future.
Howard also noted that the recruitment and retention of support officers also saw notable improvements over the past year. She said that mentorship efforts led to increased retention rates, though future recruitment cycles are expected to prioritize quality over quantity to allow for more focused training and relationship-building.
The Committee has worked to streamline training programs to ensure that new members are adequately prepared to take on their responsibilities. Sharing advice for future Honor leadership, Howard said that she believes recruiting fewer officers will allow senior officers to focus more on individual training and support.
“I honestly think having smaller classes allows them to pay more attention to them and build a relationship, rather than them feeling lost,” Howard said. “My recommendation for the Committee would be to have a slightly smaller class.”
As she prepares to step down, Howard emphasized the importance of clear communication and transparency, both within the Committee and with the broader University community. She reaffirmed her belief in the honor system as a vital aspect of student self-governance and expressed confidence in Ackleson's ability to lead effectively and looks forward to the work of the next Committee.
Reflecting on her term, Howard said she was most proud of the bylaws and procedures she enacted throughout the year.
“I'm really proud of this Committee's commitment to both creating new procedures to continue enacting the charge of multi-sanction, and to have a restorative, yet accountable honor system,” Howard said.
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