Honor Court sees more efficiency

Each year, incoming students at UNC pledge to uphold the Honor Code that governs appropriate behavior and outlines disciplinary procedures.

As a tradition at UNC that has been maintained for more than 120 years, the Honor Code’s visibility on campus is tremendous. It is on the front cover of UNC’s official examination books and on plaques in classrooms throughout the campus.

But there are some students who fall into the trap of short deadlines and poor time management, and hasty decisions lead them astray.

Student Attorney General Carolina Chavez recently released a summary of 91 of the 96 honor cases that were tried this fall.

According to the report, plagiarism is the most common academic violation at UNC. Last semester, 29 of the 91 cases concern academic dishonesty by plagiarism.

Chavez said she thinks the high detection rate of plagiarism is related to the “nature of what it is.” Teachers can easily access the Internet materials most students chose to copy.

Driving under the influence and possession of marijuana are the two most common disorderly conduct cases received by the court.

Dave Gilbert, assistant dean of students, said the majority of students tried for possession of marijuana are caught during their first semester at UNC.

“I think the theory behind this trend is that a lot of first-year students, when they first move into the residence halls, are testing the boundaries,” Gilbert said.

He said this type of illegal activity tends to die down after students realize there are repercussions for their actions.

In recent years, the UNC honor system has noticed an increase in the court’s efficiency.

Gilbert said the number of cases heard by the Honor Court in the fall was a marked improvement. He said the 84 cases brought to court in fall 2003 and 64 hearings in fall 2002 indicate a rise in court’s ability to address students’ needs.

“The courts are providing students with hearings in a timely fashion,” he said.

As the honor system prepares to solidify its role in UNC’s future, officials are focusing on publicizing the importance of the honor system.

“There are a lot of misconceptions in the general student body about what it is we do,” Chavez said. “In reality, the system is here to promote a climate of honor and integrity so we can learn in a safe environment.”

Stacy Bennett, honor system outreach coordinator, said her committee has planned various programs throughout the year to increase student awareness. Events include Honor and Integrity Week and Hazing Awareness Week.

“The toughest obstacle is always going to be to get the students interested,” Bennett said.

Gilbert said many students pay attention to the Honor Code and graduate with no violations.

“Most students on campus do abide by the honor system,” Gilbert said. “The subset of students we see may not represent the typical UNC student.”

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.