Exploring Collaborative Opportunities: Honor Committee Engages with Other Universities

The Honor Committee recently held a meeting to explore partnerships with other honor committees at universities, notably the University of Mary Washington. This initiative aims to enhance outreach and facilitate the exchange of ideas between institutions.

Thomas Ackelson, the Committee chair and a fourth-year Engineering student, shared insights from his recent conversation with Adam McAninley, the President of the University of Mary Washington Honor Council. They discussed the challenges and successes of their respective honor systems.

Ackelson noted that forming a network of honor committees could foster collaboration. This idea was inspired by The Citadel Honor Conference, which connects several military institutions. “We want to create something similar, but on a smaller scale,” he explained.

Addressing the needs of fully remote students was another key topic. Ackelson, alongside Genny Freed, the vice chair, and Mark Erath, an assistant professor, examined ways to include these students in Honor-related discussions and proceedings. They talked about enhancing the Restorative Ethics Seminars, which are courses aimed at reforming students facing educational sanctions.

Freed highlighted potential solutions, such as inviting remote students to join via Zoom or creating asynchronous formats for the seminars. “We want to ensure every student feels included,” she said.

Cody Scarce, vice chair for investigations, presented plans to conduct brief 15-minute sessions for first-year students about the Honor Committee and its processes. These will be integrated into their Engagement courses, which are mandatory seminars meant to introduce students to liberal arts education.

The Committee also discussed developing a new Honor Module for incoming students to familiarize them with the institution’s honor policies and procedures. This initiative reflects a commitment to maintaining integrity and transparency within the academic community.

This meeting marked a pivotal moment in the Committee’s efforts to strengthen connections with students and other institutions. The next meeting is scheduled for Sunday at 7 p.m. Participants can join via Zoom. For links and minutes, visit the Committee’s website.

To highlight the importance of honor systems in schools, research indicates that 68% of students report feeling pressured to cheat, according to a recent survey by the Josephson Institute. This underscores the need for strong honor committees to foster integrity and ethical behavior among students.

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