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Honoring an honor code


When you were a kid, did you have any friends who weren’t allowed to watch TV or eat candy at home? What did they do when they were away from home? Watch as much TV as possible and gorge on candy, right? Well, the freedom of college can have that affect on new students. Now that they can stay out all night, blast their stereos, and skip class, they do. While colleges do not watch over you like parents and guardians, they do have expectations of your behavior. During orientation, you will probably receive a handbook detailing campus rules such as visiting hours, quiet hours, alcohol possession, and more. In addition, you may be asked to sign an honor code—a set of rules, guidelines, expectations, and behaviors that all members of a campus community agree to uphold.
The honor code might go something like this:

Honor is about academic integrity, moral and ethical conduct, and pride of membership in a community that values academic achievement and individual responsibility. Cultivating honor lays the foundation for lifelong integrity, developing in each of us the courage and insight to make difficult choices and accept responsibility for actions and their consequences, even at personal cost.

As citizens of an academic community of trust, students, staff, and faculty do not lie or cheat whether they are on campus or acting as representatives of the university in surrounding communities. Neither should they suffer by the dishonest acts of others.

Campus members who violate the honor code may be subject to punitive consequences as determined by the judicial affairs office.


Following campus rules and the honor code is not just a matter of ensuring your success in college and keeping you safe and happy. It keeps you out of trouble as well. Plus, it’s the right thing to do!

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