In his report, senior Fred Hashagen, a member of the Student Advisory Committees to the Chancellor and to the UNC Board of Trustees, suggests that the University more clearly define honor and integrity and make honor a more tangible concept on campus.
He also calls for disallowing students who are convicted of an honor violation to graduate with distinction or honors, creating an "honor distinction" for graduating seniors and bringing honor into the application process with a possible question asking applicants to define what honor is to them.
Hashagen sent the proposals to many members of the administration, faculty and Student Congress, and he said he has been pleased with the reactions so far.
"People have indicated positive responses to at least portions of my proposal," Hashagen said.
Although he gave the report to six students on the Committee on Student Conduct, Chairwoman Judith Wegner was surprised to hear of Hashagen's ideas. COSC is the committee heading the ongoing Honor Court review, but Wegner had not yet seen Hashagen's proposals.
Hashagen said that after giving the report to the student members of COSC, he left it in their hands whether to pass it on to Wegner.
In Hashagen's opinion, COSC isn't necessarily the right place to ultimately implement these changes because his proposal will not, for the most part, change the Instrument of Student Judicial Governance or the Student Code.
Wegner said although COSC welcomes all recommendations, the best time to investigate Hashagen's ideas most likely would be after COSC finishes its revision of the instrument, scheduled for completion at the end of the semester.
"If (Hashagen) or anyone else has thoughts, I say please pass them on," Wegner said. "It's not too late, but our commitment is to gel something together and present it to the chancellor, the Faculty Council and Student Congress by the end of the semester."
