Student Handbook - Sweet Briar College

Section II: The Honor SystemSince the founding of the institution, Sweet Briar College’s Honor System hasbeen based on two precepts:The Honor PrincipleSweet Briar women do not lie, cheat, steal, or violate the rights of others. Thiscode of honorable behavior pervades and defines all aspects of the life of theCollege. Personal honor and individual responsibility are essential to studentconduct in both academic and non-academic life: therefore, the Honor Code iscomposed of standards guiding her actions academically as a student, andresidentially as a member of the College community. The Honor Code and theJudicial System are the means of realizing and implementing this principle. Bymatriculating, each Sweet Briar student agrees to uphold the honor principlewithout reservation.Student Self-GovernanceSweet Briar women consciously choose to govern themselves by the highstandards of the Honor principle, and with this choice comes the privilege andresponsibility of administering and enforcing this code on the actions ofthemselves and their peers.If she believes she has broken either the Standards of Academic or Non-Academic Conduct, she must report herself to a member or chair of the JudicialCommittee. If she has direct knowledge that another student has broken theStandards of Academic or Non-Academic Conduct, she must report the violationto a member or chair of the Judicial Committee within 72 hours. She should alsoask the student she believes committed the violation to report herself within 72hours to a member or chair of the Judicial Committee. The Honor System canonly work if Sweet Briar women strive to incorporate the Honor principle intotheir own behavior and expect no less from their peers.The Faculty, the Deans, and the President have legitimate and compellinginterests, perspectives, and expertise in the administration of the Honor System,and so participate in the process at critical junctures. But its legitimacy residesin the practical administration of the system by the students of Sweet BriarCollege.These two precepts — the honor principle and student self-governance — definethe structure and process of the Honor System. The honor principle leadsto a code of behavior with standards governing her academic behavior as astudent and member of the scholarly community, as well as standards governingher non-academic behavior as a resident of College housing and a member of________________________________________________________________44