The USG passed two amendments to the Honor Code, the first changes since 2000, at its meeting last night.
The successful vote means an administrator will now serve as the procedural advisor and the University president will be largely removed from the appellate and penalty proceedings.
Three of the 22 voting USG members opposed the amendments submitted by the Honor Committee, which were passed as a package. A three-fourths vote was required for approval.
As a result of the vote, a representative of the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students will function as procedural advisor for students accused of Honor Code violations. Prior to this change, one of the two students who had investigated the accused served as the procedural advisor, a person who helps the accused understand their rights during the proceedings.
The dean of the college rather than the University president will now hear appeals of students convicted by the Honor Committee. In addition, the dean of undergraduate students, rather than the president, will impose the penalties decided upon by the Honor Committee.
Procedural advising
After tabling a vote on these amendments three weeks ago, the USG formed a committee headed by treasurer Kyle Detwiler '05 to examine the amendments more closely. At the meeting, the committee presented its findings of the advantages and disadvantages of the new amendments.
The amendment regarding the procedural advising system provoked intense debate among the USG members. Before the vote, Catherine Farmer '03, chair of the Honor Committee, said the reform would eliminate the conflict of having a student serve as both an investigator of a case and the procedural advisor to the accused student. As a result of this change, the procedural advisor would also no longer be present during the hearing.
The USG committee found that the replacement of the procedural advisor with an administrator would add continuity and experience to the system. An administrative procedural advisor would handle multiple cases during the course of many years.
Kathleen Deignan, dean of undergraduate students, said the main complaints of convicted students pertain to the procedural advice they received.
"The problems have been in advice or mixed messages or frankly just inexperience that have happened with procedural advisors before the proceedings," Deignan said. "Continuity can be provided by members of the dean's office who would do this over and over and over again. In fact, what I think this is intended to do is to buttress the independence of the Honor Committee, not to erode it."
In addition, U-Councilor Chris Wendell '03 said an administrative procedural advisor would be able to act as a liaison to parents and attorneys of the accused students. Yet, some students expressed concern at the possible loss of a student-only environment.
John Brunger '05, U-Councilor, said he felt that the dean should not be given an official capacity in Honor Code proceedings because it would violate the spirit of the all-student run Honor Committee.
Presidential involvement
In support of the amendment to remove the president from the proceedings, Deignan said that no peer institutions include their presidents in honor code systems. Deignan added that President Tilghman would like to be removed from the process.
"I've served at Princeton under three presidents, President Bowen [GS '58], President Shapiro [GS '64], and President Tilghman, and all have been of one mind on this," Deignan said. "This is a very time-consuming process for them."
The amendment will align the Honor Code proceedings with those of the Committee on Discipline, the committee that handles academic integrity violations that occur out of class.
Several of the members of the USG, however, expressed concern at losing presidential involvement in Honor Code convictions.
"If students are going to ask someone to leave for a year . . . I really feel the president should be involved in that decision," Brunger said. "It seems to me that this should be a priority for the president."
As suggested by the USG, the Honor Committee made an additional change to the proposed amendment. If the dean of the college feels the penalty decided upon by the Honor Committee should be decreased, he or she can recommend this change to the president who will make the final decision.
'Efficiency'
Despite debate, the two amendments were passed as a package. Three members of the USG, Brunger, Detwiler, and Adam Kopald '05, Class of 2005 senator, voted against the measures.
USG president Pettus Randall '04 said he felt the changes would only improve the Honor Code.
"I think the changes to the Honor Code . . . will make the Honor Code more efficient," Randall said. "I'm excited that the spirit of the Honor Code has been preserved . . . and the change in the procedural advisor only adds to the overall fairness and the efficiency of process."
Farmer too expressed excitement at the success of the changes.
"Obviously, I'm excited," she said. "I think these really are going to help students . . . understand the process better."
Johnny Chavkin '05, Class of 2005 senator, said he was pleased with the changes, but they will not affect his plans to continue with his own proposed changes to the Honor Code.
"I think there was the pressing need to separate the investigator from the procedural advisor position," Chavkin said. "The benefits from making these changes are far greater than problems we will encounter."
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