"As a member of the WPI community, I shall not intentionally or knowingly violate the bonds of academic trust that exist among us, nor shall I tolerate violations of this trust."
-The "Honor Pledge", from the "WPI Academic Honor Code"
On September 19, the Student Government Association was presented with a rough draft of the WPI Academic Honor Code written by the Ad Hoc Committee on Academic Honesty. This represents several years worth of work on the part of the committee, and while still incomplete, the current content of the Honor Code promises many changes to WPI student life.
One such change made by the Honor Code is the creation of an Academic Honor Council. According to the Code, the council's purpose would be "to hear evidence, ask questions, and render decisions regarding Code violations." There would be two subcommittees, as well, one to hear undergraduate cases, and one to hear graduate cases. The Honor Council itself would consist of nine students, six undergraduates and three graduates; six members of faculty; and two non-voting members.
Students will be able to elect five undergraduate members and one faculty member to serve on the council. The Graduate Student Organization will appoint two students and one faculty. The other positions are chosen by the faculty and the provost. In order for an undergraduate to get their name on the ballot, they have to either be nominated by a department, or gather twenty-five signatures. There must be at least five undergraduates on the ballot before elections can be held in Term D under the supervision of the SGA Elections Committee.
The Honor Council will also consist of an Investigation Subcommittee. It's the job of this group to recommend to the Honor Council whether or not to pursue a case. If the decision is made to prosecute someone for a violation of the Honors Code, there are no specific punishments described for a specific violation. According to the Honor Code, "each infraction is reviewed individually and sanctioning takes into consideration the unique situation surrounding the infraction." The Honor Code does list some of the possible sanctions that the Honors Council can decide to level against a convicted offender, including expulsion, a grade of NR or F for the course, and mandatory participation in an academic honesty seminar.
What constitutes a violation of the Honor Code? "Any willful act that either interferes with the process of evaluation or misrepresents the relation between the work being evaluated and the student's actual state of knowledge is an act of academic dishonesty and a violation of academic trust," according to the rules. This includes the typical college no-nos such as plagiarism, crib sheets, and purchased term papers. Like hazing, being a facilitator for academic dishonesty a crime, so even if you're not the one cheating, but you help someone else do so, you're as guilty as they are.
In order to better define what the student's and faculty's roles are in maintaining the Honor Code, there are a list of responsibilities for both parties. Under this new policy, all students have the responsibility to do the following:
1. Know and uphold the Honor Pledge.
2. Do not commit any act of academic dishonesty.
3. Report violations of the Honor Code to the Honors Council.
4. Ask professors about rules governing the use of outside resources for projects and assignments.
5. Give a fair evaluation of whether faculty members complied with the Honor Code.
To ensure that the Honor Code is not treated as "just another regulation from on high," the Dean of Student Life will be allowed to select six people, five students and one faculty, to serve as Honor Advisors. "The Honor Advisors are charged with maintaining campus awareness about the Honor Code through ongoing educational efforts...and to gauge awareness of and adherence to the code."
The importance of having an Honor Code is not under debate, but this Code's success with the WPI student body and faculty has yet to be determined.
It is hoped by many that both parties will treat the Code with respect and adhere to its principles. "The bonds of academic trust among all members of the academic community are paramount. Establishing and maintaining these bonds requires a unified commitment to the principles of academic integrity and honesty in all educational interactions."