Living in an Honorable Society The Honor System

What is the Honor System? The Honor System is a student-led system that helps to ensure academic honesty in the Lyon community. The Honor System means that professors trust their students not to be dishonest in academic work. The Honor System assumes that students will behave honestly in our society. The Honor Code puts forth the expectations and responsibilities of the Honor System. The Honor Council investigates alleged violations of the Honor Code.

Pledging Your Work When students enter Lyon, they sign the Roll of Honor, promising to live under the Honor Code. Students are required to pledge their work to indicate that they submit it under the conditions of the Honor Code. To pledge your work, write the word “pledged” with your name on the assignment. Professors cannot accept work that is not pledged.

The Honor Pledge When work is “pledged,” the student promises to complete the assignment under the provisions of the Honor Pledge. The Honor Pledge states, I will abstain from all fraud in academic work. I will neither give nor receive aid on any form of test or assigned work where such aid is prohibited, nor tolerate this conduct in any member of the community. I will deal responsibly with such acts when I observe them. By my conduct and influence I will endeavor to build a high standard of honesty and truthfulness in all academic work. A copy of the Honor Pledge hangs in each classroom. The Honor Pledge is what students sign at matriculation.

What does the Honor Code cover? The Honor Code covers all forms of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, cheating, inappropriate collaboration, inappropriate uses of aids, and others. You can find out what your professor considers inappropriate by reading the syllabus or by asking the professor.

What is Plagiarism? Plagiarism is the improper use of another’s work. It includes not only copying without citation, but also improper citations. If you need help learning how to cite references in a paper, you can go to the writing lab on the top floor of the library or ask your professor.

The Honor Council The Honor Code is administered by the Honor Council. The Honor Council is a group of students elected by their peers to investigate and sanction honor violations. The Honor Council is made up of seven seniors, seven juniors, five sophomores and three freshmen.

How does the Honor Council work? Suspected violations are turned in to Dean Johnston, who forwards them to the Honor Council. An investigator is chosen from the council for the case who chooses a co-investigator from the student body. The investigators investigate the case. A pre-trial hearing is held in which a small group of council members decide whether or not to proceed to trial with the case. If the case proceeds to trial, a trial is held.

What penalties can result? When sanctioning a student, the Honor Council foremost considers first, if this student can continue to live in an honorable society; and second, how the Council can help the student to do so. The Honor Council can expel, suspend, or otherwise sanction a student who is found guilty of an honor violation. Common sanctions in the past include probation, writing a paper, seeing an English professor to learn how to cite, talking to the Honor Council’s faculty advisor about how to live in an honorable society, and failure of the assignment in question. Each case has its own unique circumstances, so sanctions are decided on a case-by-case basis.

Advice If in doubt, talk to your professor. If you are pressed for time, ask for an extension. If you find yourself before the Council, tell the truth.