USG Senate meeting turns to proposed Honor Code changes

At the end of last night's USG Senate meeting, president Pettus Randall '04 said that USG senator Jonathan Chavkin '05 will petition for support for his proposed changes to the Honor Committee.

In an interview after the meeting, Chavkin confirmed that he is preparing the petition.

"I'm waiting to get more student awareness, more discussion and just get a variety of perspectives," he said.

There are two methods of changing the honor system constitution, Chavkin said.

The Honor Committee itself can make changes, or reforms can be made through a student referendum, he said.

For a student referendum to occur, a petition for changes must be signed by 200 students and then submitted to the chair of the USG's Undergraduate Elections Committee, Chavkin said.

Three-quarters of students voting in the referendum must favor the proposal for the changes to be approved.

"There will be a referendum. I know that I can get 200 signatures," Chavkin said.

Proposed reforms

Support nonprofit student journalism. Donate to the ‘Prince’. Donate now »

Chavkin is advocating reforms in three separate areas.

First, he said he believes a student's intent should be considered in his or her punishment once the student is convicted.

Second, he supports the addition of two faculty members to the student-only Honor Committee.

Finally, he said every session with a defendant should be tape-recorded.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

Adam Kopald '05, also a class senator, said at the meeting yesterday that he wanted to make clear that the USG as a body has not backed Chavkin's proposal.

Catherine Farmer '03, chair of the Honor Committee, said that she encouraged the USG to express its opinion on the proposed changes.

In the interview yesterday, Chavkin said that he would like support from the USG once he has drawn up the petition.

"My proposals are not indicative of the voice of the USG. They are just the views of one person right now," he added.

At yesterday's meeting, U-Council chair Josh Anderson '04 said that the council had made further plans for the "intellectualism initiative" in its own meeting yesterday.

At the last CPUC meeting of the year, the U-Council will issue a report on campus intellectualism based on a survey and focus group discussions, Anderson said.

Undergraduate Life Committee chair William Robinson '04 said he and Randall plan to meet Friday with representatives from all student groups related to minority issues.

Robinson said the USG is interested in creating a "minority umbrella organization."