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Ethics Center > Honor Code Facts and Issues

Reasons offered for establishing an Honor Code

  1. Fostering community: highlighting the common bonds and values that underlie both academic and social life
  2. Student ownership and responsibility for conversations about our basic values (educating new members, raising issues, evolution of the College’s vision)
  3. Expression of commitment, to each other, to respect values essential to our shared life in an academic community
  4. Ongoing Process: Code itself as simply a start of an effort to make discussions of central values a part of our shared life
  5. Impact of Codes: Codes can enhance the institution and its degree, by highlighting what liberal arts colleges long emphasized: education extends beyond facts and skills, to the personal (including ethical) development of members

Possible responses to concerns

“An honor code is unnecessary and won’t help.”

  • A code is not meant for those who will cheat no matter what, but it can be an important reminder for those tempted, e.g., given the pressure of looming assignments—many have emphasized a code’s value here.
  • The existence of a code will have an impact on who joins the community and how they view the community.

“Signing a statement on papers is insulting—I don’t need to say I have integrity.”

  • Trust cannot simply be assumed; it is in part earned, and the broad efforts associated with the honor code process are designed to reinforce trust.
  • ‘Blind’ trust (e.g., ignoring evidence of cheating) is damaging to the institution and its members (especially those who are trustworthy and thus are harmed by others who cheat or vandalize.)
  • There is no penalty for failure to sign.  If one takes a principled stand against signing, one can refuse.

“The Honor Code is just another piece of administrative legislation meant to restrict students.”

  • The Honor Code is not a new set of rules designed to restrict students.  Rather Lake Forest College rules will remain intact. 
  • The most radical proposed revision to current college policies is the formation of an honor council. 
  • The Honor Council will be expected to educate members of the community on the Honor Code as well as hold open forums for community members to engage in dialogue on issues of concern.  It is expected that the Honor Council, comprised entirely of students, will eventually assume the responsibility of hearing judicial cases.

Basic facts

From Don McCabe’s ongoing national survey of colleges and universities:
Self-reporting of serious test cheating (three or more instances):
Schools without honor codes - 17%
Public schools with modified honor codes - 10%
Private schools with honor codes - 6%
Note: Our proposal counts as a modified honor code  
    http://www.collegepubs.com/ref/SFX000515.shtml

From survey of Lake Forest students (January 2006, 476 responses):
Students reporting seeing others cheat on a test or exam: 56%

Students favoring establishing an honor code:
a. For academic work - 90%
b. For behavior outside the classroom - 75%
    http://myforester.lakeforest.edu/Portal/Portals/0/studentsurveyresults.pdf