A code to be proud of

One of my most memorable moments as a Princeton student was the night that I stood before the entire incoming Class of 2009 in Matthews Theatre at McCarter Center as the chairman of the Honor Committee. My task seemed simple enough: tell them what the Honor Code meant to Princeton and what it meant to me. It's a question that many undergraduates often struggle with. To find the answer, I reflected back on my time as a student at Princeton.

Throughout our time here, we have had access to an endless array of extracurricular activities and social events. From eating clubs to athletics to the lifelong friendships we make, Princeton means many different things to many different people. What truly defines Princeton, however, is the academic nature of this University. Amazing classmates and brilliant professors who are interested and eager to engage us in conversation surround us. It seems obvious enough that a university's first duty is to educate. In the midst of the endless social and extracurricular opportunities available to all of us, however, it's easy to forget. The truth is the learning that takes place in our classrooms, precepts, lectures and laboratories each day is the benchmark of this University. Once I realized that simple fact, I understood why we needed an Honor Code. If cheating taints the learning that takes place at Princeton and the legitimacy of our academic standard is compromised, then every other facet of Princeton would begin to crumble as well.

Following the Honor Code isn't just about our personal academic integrity. It's about respecting those who came before us and who built the prestige of the University; it's about paving the way for those who will come after us.

One hundred and thirteen years ago, students came together and established the Honor Code to make Princeton a community of trust. One hundred and thirteen years later, we have an obligation to ensure that the Honor Code is not relegated to being an artifact of the past but continues to be a living document that can withstand 21st-century challenges to academic integrity. This is a constant process that the Honor Committee members are committed to, as shown by the six revisions to the Honor Code in the past two and a half decades.

The members of the Honor Committee are dedicated to the difficult burden they are given. They donate a substantial amount of time investigating reported violations and deliberating cases. In my time on the committee, my fellow members have consistently impressed me with their dedication, judiciousness and professionalism.

The decisions made by the Honor Committee are important, and we understand the seriousness of our actions. Last week, when watching Andrew Fastow, Enron's former chief financial officer, take the stand at the trial of Enron's former chief executives Jeffrey Skilling and Kenneth Lay, I couldn't help but reflect on Princeton's Honor Code. Under cross-examination, Fastow said, "I have asked my family, my friends and my community for forgiveness ... I've agreed to pay a terrible penalty for it. It's an awful thing that I did, and it's shameful. But I wasn't thinking that at the time."

These sentiments were strikingly similar to what the committee often hears from guilty students. The only difference is that in Fastow's case (and likely in Skilling's and Lay's), the consequences will not be suspension or even expulsion but jail time. No gray areas and no second chances.

From this, I realized how much I appreciate Princeton's Honor System. If someone is convicted of an Honor Code violation and has to take a year off, it will be devastating. The student will think that his life is over and that the Honor Code is draconian and unfair. In reality, however, his life wouldn't be over. Our hope, as a committee, is that the student will come back having learned the lessons of integrity that will allow him to avoid the more serious consequences that exist outside these walls. Princeton's Honor Code is not just a code for exams; it's a code for life.

Academic integrity and the Honor Code are highly valued and fundamental to the Princeton experience. The standard it sets is not only important for our academic life here, but also can serve as a guide for life when we leave. Some may be afraid that the Honor Code creates an atmosphere of apprehension. What I've discovered within these walls, however, is a community of trust. Chris Lloyd is the chair of the Honor Committee. He is a history major from Silver Spring, Maryland. He can be reached at clloyd@princeton.edu.