After more than a century, UNC-Chapel Hill will end its student-run honor court system — forcing a major shift in how student misconduct, in and out of the classroom, is handled at the university.
Provost Chris Clemens and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Amy Johnson announced the change in a message to campus Wednesday, saying the university will replace the student-led system with use of a “conduct board,” or hearing board, model, run by university staff. That’s in contrast to the current model, in which students review their peers’ alleged violations of the university’s honor code and impose applicable disciplinary actions.
The honor code, which all students are expected to abide by, prohibits academic dishonesty — generally meaning actions such as cheating or plagiarism — as well as nonacademic offenses, such as hazing, using illegal drugs, possessing weapons and a host of other violations.
The honor code and the student-run system that implements it have historically been points of pride at the university, with new students pledging at their convocation ceremonies not to lie, cheat or steal, and to encourage those around them to uphold the “Carolina tradition.” The university’s model for the system is also rare, with just a handful of universities nationwide — including the University of Virginia and Washington and Lee University — boasting student-run courts.
“We are extremely proud of that history and tradition,” Johnson told The News & Observer in an interview Thursday.
But Johnson noted the “universe of student conduct” matters has evolved significantly over the past century, with cases becoming more complicated and taking longer to resolve. Many cases now intersect with civil or criminal legal proceedings and involve outside attorneys, Johnson said. Academic cases take approximately 100 days to resolve, while nonacademic cases can take almost 140 days, she said.
“That is an extraordinary amount for a student-led process to try to navigate and manage,” Johnson said. “And for that reason, we are moving to a hearing board model that will be guided by professional staff, but still involve the active participation of students, faculty and staff across campus.”
Five student leaders within the honor system — two attorneys general, two honor court chairs and the honor court outreach coordinator — addressed the university’s decision in a statement released Friday. The leaders said they would like to collaborate with administrators in the coming weeks as the changes are implemented — something, they said, that had not happened prior to Johnson and Clemens’ announcement.
“We are deeply dismayed by the University’s decision but remain committed to our mission of promoting student voices,” the statement read.
‘Concerns’ about student-led system
In their message to campus, Johnson and Clemens cited “concerns and conversations” about the existing system as the reason for moving to a new model. Asked by The N&O about who was voicing such concerns, Johnson said they generally came from students who are accused of a student-conduct violation, as well as faculty and staff who participate in the system, particularly in academic-related cases.
“If it goes 100 days, that can interfere with students’ academic progress,” Johnson said. “And faculty are not only frustrated about having to participate in a process so long, but to participate in a process that potentially could impede students’ academic progress and their ability to continue to take courses or meet prerequisites and the like.”
Johnson said the changes are not related to recent protests or other issues on campus, adding that the change has been in the works for more than a year. (In relation to pro-Palestinian protests in April, 10 UNC students received citations for trespassing and three additional students were arrested. )
In their statement, the honor system student leaders said they were informed of the proposed changes to the model less than 24 hours before Johnson and Clemens’ email to campus.
“The University administration did not consult us — or any member of student government to our knowledge — about their decision to end a near 150-year tradition of student self-governance,” the statement read. “Had the administration communicated their intent to alter the student conduct process, we would have engaged in a good-faith dialogue to discuss potential changes to the Honor System.”
The honor code and the “long-standing history and tradition of student integrity and honor at Carolina” will remain under the new honor system model, Johnson said. But instead of students governing their peers, university staff will now oversee hearings and proceedings regarding alleged violations.
The new model is the “most common” one in student affairs and is a best practice, Johnson said.
The hope, Johnson said, is that having professional staff overseeing the proceedings will speed up the process, given that they can dedicate full workdays to the task, without the extra responsibilities — such as attending class — that student leaders have. The university’s Office of Student Conduct website currently lists three full-time staff, and Johnson said she anticipates hiring up to two additional staff members for honor system matters.
“Because this will be the full-time job of those people, as opposed to a whole team of students who are trying to work around, there will be some efficiencies of scale there,” Johnson said.
The honor system leaders acknowledged in their statement that “no system, including ours, is perfect.” But they said their roles were “never a burden,” despite the time commitment.
“As Branch Leaders of the Honor System, we more than willingly provided our time and effort to the Honor System because we knew that we were making a positive impact on students and the University community as a whole,” they said.
How the new model will work
Johnson did not provide an estimate for how long it will take for cases to be resolved under the new staff-run hearing process. But she said she hopes there is a “significant” reduction.
In tandem with ending the student-run honor system, Johnson said the university also plans to streamline a variety of policies outside of the honor code in a new student conduct policy and “bring them all under one roof.” By doing so, Johnson hopes students will be better able to navigate the disciplinary process.
“In addition to the honor code, we have our alcohol and drug policy, we have our community standards policies,” Johnson said. “It has become a really networked environment for students to manage just here at Carolina.”
Johnson also said the university is likely to implement an “informal resolution” option for cases, in which the parties would reach an agreement about how to resolve the case without going through a formal hearing process. Johnson said the option would likely be best for “minor” policy violations.
Students who enter into a hearing with the new staff-run conduct board will still be afforded due process, with the option of appealing any decision by the board, Johnson said. Students, faculty and staff will also remain involved in the process, at least in some capacity, through a new advisory committee that will provide feedback on the new model, Johnson said. Students could also “volunteer to participate as a member of a hearing board pool or to serve as a peer/professional advisor to a student involved in a case,” according to an FAQ page about the proposed changes.
The honor system leaders indicated the reduced level of student involvement in the system would be a detriment to students with cases in the system.
“Given the stigma surrounding academic dishonesty or conduct violations, many accused students are uncomfortable sharing their narratives with administrators or professors. Rather, they preferred a peer who would provide honest guidance and understanding,” they said. “Such is the value of a student-led Honor System.”
The university plans to transition from the student-led system by the start of the upcoming academic year, which begins in mid-August, Johnson said. Existing cases winding through the student-led system will continue in the current model, she said, but new cases will go through the new hearing process.
The university’s student affairs division will accept feedback on the proposed staff-run process over the next month. Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts holds the authority to end the student-run model and implement the new system.
The student leaders concluded their statement by expressing their interest in providing feedback to administrators on the proposed changes based on their “knowledge of the campus community’s preferences on student conduct.”
“Championing the deeply-rooted Carolina tradition of student self-governance has been the privilege of a lifetime,” they said. “We’ll strive to continue to advocate for the student body in all our capacity.”
Most Popular
Comments / 0