WILLIAM & MARY HONOR COUNCIL 2018 REPORT

Opening Message One of the College’s oldest traditions is its student-administered honor system which works to uphold our Honor Code’s prohibition on lying, cheating and stealing throughout our scholarly community. Under the guidance of the Honor Code, our community prides itself on the trust and respect that flourishes between individual students and between students and faculty.

The Honor Council implements a variety of campus initiatives to educate students and faculty on the importance of the Honor Code, and acts as a judiciary body to investigate and hear cases of possible Honor Code violations, ensuring due process and balancing our community values. In this report, we provide an overview of cases processed by the Council and the ongoing initiatives and programs developed to maintain the College's community of trust.

Henry Crossman & Amelia Nell

Chair and Vice Chair, Undergraduate Honor Council

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COUNCIL MEMBERS

The Undergraduate Honor Council has 24 members, elected by the student body to represent each class. See Page 2 for a list of current members.

CASE OUTCOMES

Since the start of the 2018-19 term, the Council has reviewed 46 reported violations of the Honor Code. Of the completed cases, 90% of reported students have been found responsible.

COUNCIL INITIATIVES

The Council organizes a range of events throughout the year, including Ethics Week in October. Four standing committees develop community initiatives and ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of Council policies.

THE HONOR PROCESS

The Honor Council investigates and determines responsibility for alleged violations through a multi-stage process, described on Page 5.

ANNUAL REPORT WILLIAM & MARY UNDERGRADUATE HONOR COUNCIL | 2018 REPORT

WILLIAM & MARY HONOR COUNCIL 2018 REPORT

Case OutcomesThe Honor Council evaluates alleged cases of lying, cheating and stealing. Elected in January, the 2018-2019 Undergraduate Honor Council has or is reviewing 46 cases of alleged violations reported in the Spring 2018 semester. Alleged violations included 40 reports of cheating, 4 reports of lying, and 2 reports of stealing. Students were found responsible in 90% of completed cases.

Cheating violations constituted the majority of cases. Half of all cheating cases reported were classified as unauthorized assistance/collaboration. Plagiarism was the next most frequent reported violation. More specific information on case outcomes is publicly available on the Dean of Students Office website.  

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COUNCIL MEMBERS

Class of 2019 • Jessica Berry• Henry Crossman (Chair)• Alex Fitz• Edward Fortunato• James Kunder• Amelia Nell (Vice Chair)• Darrien Spitz

Class of 2020 • Becca Deitch• Erin Gorham• Katie Heller• Nia Kitchin• Maxime Legros• Jenna Ollen• Anne Pietrow (Secretary)• Elise Turrietta (CFO)

Class of 2021 • Madeline Brown• Andrew Caietti• Abduelwahab Hussein• Paige Jacobson• Raman Khanna• Sharon Kim• Emma Manring• Nicole Carrillo Vallejo

Cheating Violations

13%

50% 3%

30%

5%Direction ViolationPlagiarismTime ConstraintUnauthorized AssistanceUse of Unauthorized Materials

Reported Violations

9%

4%

87%

Cheating Stealing Lying

WILLIAM & MARY HONOR COUNCIL 2018 REPORT

If a student is found responsible for committing a violation of the Honor Code, the Council imposes sanctions. In evaluating violations, Council members classify cheating into one of three “levels” and lying or stealing charges as major or minor violations. Though the Council has flexibility in determining appropriate sanctions for a violation, the classification level guides sanction decision-making and is a mechanism for ensuring consistent sanctioning across cases. Primary sanctions range from a warning to permanent dismissal, depending on the level of violation committed, previous disciplinary history, and intent, extent, and impact of the violation on the community. The Council may impose additional sanctions or recommendations with the goal of restoring the community of trust, creating opportunities for students to contribute positively to the W&M community and developing skills to prevent future violations.

Case Frequency

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UPCOMING EVENTS

New Student Community Values Sessions

September 3rd- 13th

Ethics Week Week of October 1st

Guest Speaker: Marc Edwards

October 3rd

Finals Stress Relief December 4th-6th

SUPPORTIVE RESOURCES

Writing Resource Center

Counseling Center

Tribe Tutor Zone

Student Accessibility Services

Care Support Services

Academic Enrichment Workshops

5%

5%

32%

32%

18%

9%

WarningDisciplinary ProbationDeferred Disciplinary SuspensionDisciplinary SuspensionIndefinite Disciplinary SuspensionPermanent Dismissal

Primary Sanctions

Honor Violations: Fall 2013 - Spring 2018

0

10

20

30

40

50

Fall 2013 Spring 2014Fall 2014 Spring 2015Fall 2015 Spring 2016Fall 2016 Spring 2017Fall 2017 Spring 2018*

Cases in which a student was found not responsible have been omitted. The Spring 2018 cases include closed cases in which the student was found responsible and cases being processed.

WILLIAM & MARY HONOR COUNCIL 2018 REPORT

Council Initiatives & Committee Work

Students are most likely to adhere to the Honor Code when they are given the knowledge and guidance needed to succeed on their own merit. Understanding this, the Council’s committees plan initiatives that promote the importance of the Code, support best strategies for honorable decision making and help foster a environment where students feel most supported.

Orientation

The Orientation Committee, with the help of the Office of First Year Experience, plans mandatory sessions to inform new students of our campus’s community values. This fall, the Committee will also be hosting a roundtable with international students to discuss helpful strategies for citing sources and navigating professors’ collaboration policies.

Outreach

The Outreach Committee uses publications, social media and campus-wide initiatives to educate students about the Code and advertise important supportive resources. The Committee also provides coffee and relaxation activities to help relieve student stress during final exams. The committee will be hosting an Ethics Week this October to engage students in discussions about honorable decision making. Marc Edwards, the whistleblower in the Flint water crisis, will serve as the week's keynote speaker.

Faculty

The Faculty Liaison Committee educates faculty members about W&M’s honor policies. Please contact the Council if you would like the committee to present at your next department meeting. This fall, the Committee is also asking faculty to participate in a survey to gauge their experience with the Code and

with the Council. The survey can be completed here: https://wmsas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6zZ6k8tLZW3fB7T

Rules

The Rules Committee works internally to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of the Council’s policies. The committee has been working to improve the Council’s election policies and also to create new guidance materials to ensure consistent sanctioning for Honor cases.

Council Oversight

Equity and due process for students going through the Honor Process is a top priority for the Council. While the Council has internal procedures to protect student rights and ensure fair proceedings, students can appeal Council decisions to an independent appeals committee. Policy and procedures of the Honor Council are governed by the Honor System Advisory Committee. Both the Conduct and Honor Appeals Committee and the Honor System Advisory Committee include W&M students, faculty, and staff.

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WILLIAM & MARY HONOR COUNCIL 2018 REPORT

The Honor Process

William & Mary’s multi-stage Honor Process ensures due process, protects student rights, and respectfully maintains the College’s climate of integrity and community of trust. The Honor Process consists of four steps:

Initial Meeting- Respondent is informed of his/her rights and duties according to the Student Code of Conduct.

Investigation- Investigation committee interviews the respondent and reporting party and consolidates all material evidence into a comprehensive report.

Sufficient Evidence Panel - Three Council members review the investigation report to determine if there is enough evidence to proceed to hearing. Formal charges are assigned.

Judgement & Sanction Hearings- All evidence and testimony is reviewed by a panel of six Council members. The panel determines if the student is responsible for the honor violation and assigns an appropriate sanction(s). Primary sanctions can range from a warning to permanent dismissal.

Community Values & Restorative Practices

When assessing an Honor Code violation, the Council determines sanctions with consequences that reflect the seriousness of a violation but that also are educational and provide opportunities for the responsible student to restore relationships harmed by their actions.

The Council frequently assigns restorative sanctions in addition to a primary sanction. These include: required community service, academic enrichment workshops, recommended counseling, time management seminars, academic integrity seminars, reflection papers and letters of apology.

Contacting the Honor Council Campus Center Room 007

Monday - Friday, 10 am — 3 pm

honorcouncil@email.wm.edu

www.facebook.com/wmundergraduatehonorcouncil

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Optional Early Resolution

For less severe suspected honor violations, a faculty member may propose the option of an early resolution to the student. The faculty member proposes a grade penalty and then three members of the Council review the summary of the violation to assign an appropriate additional sanction if one is necessary. Faculty members must contact Community Values & Restorative Practices to determine if a case if eligible for early resolution.

Honor Council Affiliates

Conduct and Honor Advisor Program (CHAP) Provides respondents with a trained student advisor throughout the Honor Process.

Medical Review Committee (MRC) A committee of health professionals that evaluates medical documentation and determines the role that a health condition played in student’s honor violation.

Community Values & Restorative Practices Formerly known as the Office of Student Conduct, the staff provides guidance and expertise in Council proceedings.