Honor Council

The Honor Council seeks to educate the College community on the principles of academic integrity and to enforce the Honor Code when violations occur.

Honor Code Student Handbook

Full-Time Members:

• Celeste Crowe(President)
• Jenna Eppes (Secretary)
• J. Wesley Jones (Remediation Officer)
• Brandon Collins (Appeals Representative)
• Allison Buchanan
• Thomas Dismukes
• Seth Golden
• Maegan Harrison
• Kelton Hunt
• Jia Lee
• C. Tyler Martin
• Trevor McLemore
• P. Michelle Pilgrim
• Trinton Prater
• Jamarcus Watkins
• Jordan Simmons
• Elizabeth Smith

• William Paschal
• Jeff Lukken

Examples of Offenses

• Academic cheating, including but not limited to the unauthorized use of books or notes, copying, or collaboration on examinations or any graded coursework
• Unauthorized use of electronic devices and/or programs for or during examinations or any graded coursework
• Plagiarism—the misuse of another person's words or ideas, presenting them as one's own, regardless of intent
• Lying or presenting false information related to any academic matter
• Forgery or misuse of official college documents
• Theft of college property related to academic work
• Aiding another in any of the above
• Failure to report a violation of the Honor Code
• Failure to appear before the Honor Council as requested
• Failure to maintain confidentiality regarding a case
  

Procedure Regarding a Suspected Violation of the Honor Code

• Report the alleged violation to the president of the Honor Council. In consultation with one of the advisors to the Honor Council, the president of the Council will determine if sufficient evidence exists for a hearing. If the evidence is insufficient, the president so notifies the party reporting the alleged violation. If there is sufficient evidence for a hearing, the president sets a date for the hearing. The president will inform the person or persons accused of the violation that a hearing will take place, stating the specific accusation, the place, date, and time of the hearing, and requesting the names of any persons who should be called as witnesses. The president will interview these persons to determine whether they have knowledge relevant to the suspected violation. Campus email and communication through the campus post office will be considered means of official correspondence to students from the Honor Council. Students are responsible for responding to these official means of communication. If any communication attempts are not responded to within one week of initial contact from the Honor Council, the Council has the right to proceed with the case.
  
  
• When a student accused of a violation does not appear for a preliminary interview when notified to do so, a hold will be placed on the student's transcript. A hold will also be placed on the transcript when it has been determined that the case will proceed to a hearing. This hold will be removed when the case has been resolved.
  
  
• The student may choose to self-report the violation in a letter to the Honor Council president. As a result, no hearing will be called, but the Honor Council will meet to determine the sanction. The student will be invited to meet with the Council and encouraged to address the Council before its deliberation to determine the sanction.
  
  
• The president presides at the hearing, after which the Honor Council votes to determine whether or not a violation has occurred. In the event of a tie, the president will cast the deciding vote. If the student is found not to have violated the Honor Code, the president and recorder destroy the recording of the proceedings and so inform the Provost and the student in writing. If the student is found to have violated the Code, further deliberation by the Council determines the sanction to be imposed, and the student is notified in writing. The sanction is carried out by the Provost.
  
  
• If a case cannot be heard before the end of the grading period, the instructor will submit the grade of NR until the Honor Council acts on the case.
  
• The Honor Council reserves the right to conduct a hearing in absentia when the accused student fails to appear as notified and directed.

Appellate Procedure

Every person found to have violated the Honor Code has the right of subsequent appeal. Such appeal must be filed in writing within seven (7) days of notification of the sanction and is made to the Provost. If the sanction determined by the Honor Council is an F in the course, the student will be dropped from the course seven (7) days after the student has been notified of the sanction unless an appeal is filed. The Appeals Board shall be the President of the SGA, the President of the Faculty Assembly, the Provost, the Honor Council appeals representative, and a student-at-large selected by the Honor Council President and the Provost. Such appeals are heard from the written hearing summary, the audio recording of the hearing, and the written statement of the student requesting the appeal. Materials submitted as part of the case and the recording of the hearing will not be made available to the accused student. The Appeals Board has the authority to change the sanction in a case but is limited to the sanctions provided for in the policies of the Honor Code.