Page 89 - TheGoldBug1972-73

~pril 24, 1973 The Gold Bug PageS In woke of controversy Honor Court defines and [usflfles position by Anne Stubblefield Within the past few weeks, the Honor System has system. This year, the Court has been meeting once been the subject of much discussion on campus. a week for this purpose. faculty so thus fair to all. Prompted by a proposal to standardize the system, 3. What is cheating? Cheating is that which is 7. Can an Honor Court decision be appealed? Yes, the discussion and controversy expanded to include defined by the instructor of the class as being to the Student Personnel Problems Committee, who other aspects of the code, which is forgotten and cheating. It is a responsibility of the instructor to can do one of four things, l)refuse to hear the case completely taken for granted by most. Suddenly see that his rules are clearly understood. 2) hear the case and uphold the decision 3) hear the students were asking, "What is the Honor System, 4. What if a student is accused of cheating, and he case and lessen the penalty (or reverse the and how does it affect me?" did not know what he did was cheating? In a case decision) and4) hear the case and stiffen the penalty. The idea of an honor s~tem started. back in 1957, where' the professor did not make it clear what 8. Who usually turns people in? People usually and on April 27, 1960, 75%of the entire Student Body cheating was, and the student can show that he did turn themselves in at the request of the instructor. voted in favor of installing an honor system not, he will be acquitted. Sometimes the instructor turns the student in, and coveting cheating on tests and plagiarism. Ac- 5. What happens when a student is accused of sometimes other students turn him in. There has cording to the September zr, 1960 issue of The cheating and turned into the Honor Court? The been more student participation in the past two Goldbug: chairman appoints two Honor Court members as years. "The students of Western Maryland College investigators--their job is to gather all the evidence 9. Does the accused find out who accused him? believe in the honor code as a self-imposed body of about the case by conferring with all parties in- Only if the accusor wants to tell him. principles establishing a college community of high volved. Next, a hearing is held. The investigators 10.How do you turn someone in? Within 24 hours moral character. It is founded on the belief that a report their findings to a panel of three different of the infraction, report to the Chairman code of honor is an integral part of higher education Honor Court members to determine if there is 1. Name and that no individual privileged to see this goal enough evidence for a trial. Three things can 2. Date of Infraction would conduct himself dishonorably." happen, 1) the panel determines there is not enough 3. Nature of Infraction Every student signed a pledge, and the system evidence for a trial and all record of all proceedings 4. Request for a hearing became effective in the fall of 1960. Punishments, is completely destroyed. 2) the panel views there is Or, you may inform the accused and ask him to turn incidentally, were more severe than today. enough evidence and a trial is scheduled. This in no himself in. Students found guilty by trial were subject to way means the accused is considered guilty-only II. How many trials are held each year? This suspension for the first offense. Punishment for that a trial is warranted. 3) The panel requests the varies from year to year, but usually amounts to hose who turned themselves in was determined by investigators gather more information and another less than ten. There have been more trials this year Judicial Board. Any second offense was punished hearing is scheduled. At the trial before five dif- than in the past several years, involving more y permanent expulsion-from school. In all cases, ferent jury members; the case is presented by the students, perhaps because more people are gr~ding was left to the professor. investigators and any witnesses they wish to call. becoming interested - and aware of the Honor System The reader is referred to the Student Handbook, The accused presents his side of the story and also ages 39-47, for a detailed description of the Honor may have witnesses they wish to call. The accused 12. Suppose an innocent person is found guilty? ystem and its Constitution today. The idea behind presents his side of the story and also may have The chances of this ever happening is near zero. tJi~system is basically the same as when it 'was witnesses testify in his behalf. The jury then The Honor Court is not out to hurt anyone, and will nitrated. What is attempted here is to answer those decides what the verdict is to be. If a person is never convict anyone unless there is no doubt of his 'most frequently asked" questions about the Honor found innocent, all record of the trial is destroyed. guilt. The Honor System is for the Students. If a ystem. . If he is found guilty the jury sets the penalty. student feels he has been unfairly treated by the 1. Who is the Honor Court? The Honor Court is 6. What is the penalty? The Honor Court has the Honor Court, he may of course appeal J:lirty students, twelve seniors, ten juniors, and power to recommend any penalty from a warning 13. Who do you ask if you have any questions ight sophomores, elected by their respective class to expulsion from school. Since last spring, the about the Honor System? Any Honor Court n the spring; three faculty members appointed by Honor Court has recommended an F in the course member. They are anxious to get questions and he President from nominations placed by the for the first offense, and suspension from school for suggestions from the Student Body in order to have ~onor Court, serving staggered terms of three the second offense. Note--this is only a recom- the best Honor System possible. ears each; the Dean of Women; and the Dean of mendation. It is entirely up to the discretion of the 14. How do I become a member of the Honor ~en. The chairman is a Senior who has served on course instructor as to whether he will accept the Court? The Court is now preparing to hold spring he Court for at least one year. Bryson Popham is recommendation or not. There have been cases elections to fill the vacancies on the Honor Court urrentiy the Chairman. where he has not, which leads to an unfair treat- next year. Anyone interested is urged to write a 2. What does the Honor Court do? The Honor ment of students involved. This is the reason the letter telling of his interest and to send it to the curt tries violators of the Honor System. In ad- Honor Court has asked the Student Body to pass the Honor Court, cl 0 Bryson Popham or Gayle Vaught. ition, it is constantly reviewing and updating the standard penalty--in order to make it binding on the The following article by Francois Derasse is intended to Dr. Barnes). Mr. Seidel does not see a solution to this problem- clear up any misunderstandings created bv the GOLD Mr. Ethan A. Seidel, assistant professor of different students will always be affected BUGeditorial in the last issue. Economics and advisor to the Honor Court, agrees differently by the same action with the two categories of cheating, commenting NOli-uniformity due to faculty While most persons would enjoy observing a ~aly~~S lcl~e~:t1fr~~~~ ~r~~~~f~~r a~~~~~--~~~ But now supposing that a system could be devised Perry Jl4ason-type trial, most would not find an effectiveness of the Honor Court depends, in part, where uniformity is achieved to a great extent, Honor Court trial very exciting. The Honor Court on how well it can make the distinction and there is still another factor which disrupts it. Since certainly does not have the suspense, logical decision. Mr. Seidel also stated that these two the Honor Court can only recommend corrective deductions, and thrill fictional judiciary courts categories of cheating cannot be further sub- action, faculty members do not have to abide by the have showed, yet it does serve its purpose. divided into degrees. This means that pre- penalties. Some do, some do not, while others make Like the United States judicial system, though, meditated cheating on a lab is the same as pre- a penalty of their own; therefore, uniformity is not the Honor Court has had problems in finding just meditated cheating on a final exam. yet achieved. This problem, though, can be over- and uniform corrective action. The Honor Court Uniformity is desired come. Mr. Seidel stated that if the Honor Court can system is, of course, simplified to a certain extent Presently, the penalties for guilty verdicts from come with a-nacceptable proposal--one that is fairly since it only has to contend with one offense-- the Honor Court can range anywhere from an uniform and of course one the student body accepts- cheating. Now, many readers are probably administrative warning, through failing a student -the faculty may vote to incorporate the proposal thinking, "one offense, therefore one penalty; so in a course, to suspension from school. (It should be into their regulations. This means that the faculty everything is simple and uniform." noted that the grade penalties are only will have to enforce the penalty. Mr. Seidel added Of course, cheating is cheating no matter what recommendations to the faculty member. Other that the faculty would have accepted the proposal kind of cheating. The same-is true for stealing-- penalties are also recommendations.) There is no which students voted against recently. The sub- teallng is stealing no matter what is taken (one uniformity and each case is taken individually. committee of the Honor Court mentioned earlier, is ieee of bubble gum or one billion dollars). The law, Uniformity is, of course, desired; yet it must be not trying to find a proposal which would satisfy both the students and faculty. ~~~~~~!f~~~~t:~~~~,b:~:p1rfli~:.tb~~=I~~~~e;~~n;d just. By just, fairness to all offenders and non- Severeness of punitive system arceny, stealing with intent to kill, robbing a bank offenders is im~;~~~sal did not pass Another factor of the punitive system whose !with a dangerous weapon, stealing because of a To find the solution is not an easy task. The consequences may be far-reaching is severeness. !mental disorder, etc ..., and there are different question that must be resolved first is' whether or Supposing the penalty system is not strict, or !Penalties for each crime. not there is only one kind of cheating. From the severe, enough; then more students may be Two kinds of cheating result of the vote taken just prior to Spring Vacation tempted to take the risk of cheating. But supposing According to Dr. James A. Barnes of the (less than fifty per cent of the students were in it is too severe, then another problem arises. !Chemistry Department, there are two general favor of the proposal to give an "F" for all first Students-most of whom are loyal to each other-- ategories of cheating. They are pre-meditated offenses), it would seem that most students (the may find it harder to turn others in. The decision to ~eating--such as a student coming to a test with ones who voted against) do believe in different turn someone in if the penalty is harsh is harder to ormulas written on a nctecard-and cheating out of types of cheating. Since this der.ivatio~ ~as make than.if it is not. When asked if they would find desperation (not pre-meditated), The latter needs a obtained indirectly, maybe further tnvesttgatton it harder to turn someone in, under a more severe ~?re elaborate explanation. Supposing a student is should be done on it-possibly through a vote. penalty system, many students answered they ~king an exam and is confronted by a problem The recent vote brought out a proposal which would, some adding they may not even be able to hich he or she knows how to solve because of past would make the system uniform, yet two other turn someone else under the current system. Mr. xperience with similar problems, yet cannot find factors affecting the punitive system must be taken Seidel commented that a middle ground must the proper way to start. Because the problem is into consideration. The first one is that an "F" on therefore be found. He also mentioned that more ~orth many points, the student-out of desperation- all first offenses (as brought out by the proposal) and more students are turning ethers in, although ooks onto the paper of another, finding the would affect different students in different ways. A surveys taken show that lew students state they eginning step to theproblem. From then on, all the senior haying applications in medical schools, for would turn another in to the Honor Court. ieces fall together and the answer is easily example would be affected more than a freshman In order for the Honor System to be more 1.:_:_:::_:_::':::_==='::::'-=='::::_-==='::::'_::__.::_':2:=~_':::::::'~==~:::_:::_:::_=~ effective, the student body should be able to know situation compliments btained. (Hypothetical or sopho;"ore whose grade average is much lower. of ~contin"edOnpage3....,.,-