The Honor Committee released new data Friday from a survey on student perceptions of the honor system.
The Committee issued the survey from November to January with the assistance of the University's Institutional Assessment Office in order to "ascertain student opinion on a variety of issues," Committee Chairman Thomas Hall said.
"We always talk about how the student body feels. Now we have" statistical data to guide the Committee, Vice Chairman for Education Luke Mitchell said.
About 2100 students were invited to participate in the anonymous, online survey, and over 1600 students responded. Participants were chosen as a statistically representative sample of the student body, Hall said.
Survey questions addressed issues ranging from students' general perceptions of the system to their opinions on specific issues.
When asked about the effectiveness of the honor system in dealing with cases of academic and personal dishonesty, 50.8 percent of respondents said they felt somewhat or very positive. In contrast, 25.6 percent felt somewhat or very negative.
Overall, 24.9 percent of respondents felt the honor system provides them many benefits and privileges at the University. Another 56.1 percent felt there are a few benefits and privileges, and 15.6 percent felt there are none.
Students listed the freedom to take unproctored exams and the ability to leave belongings unattended in University public spaces without fear of theft among the top privileges afforded them.
"I gave a mixture of responses," but probably more negative ones, said Jen Meltzer, a third-year College student who completed the survey.
"I think the honor code is such a good idea," Meltzer said. "It's more than the sign on the wall ... but I don't think people find it very important."
When asked if they had ever committed an honor offense, 6.5 percent of surveyed students believed they had. This indicates "we're doing well compared to our peer institutions," Hall said, referring to a study published in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
"It is disappointing to see 27.8 percent witnessed an honor offense and only 0.8 percent [of those] initiated a case," Mitchell said, comparing student responses to two questions.
Some survey questions addressed issues pertaining to the referenda to amend the honor constitution.
The various survey results also demonstrated "some strong support for the upcoming referenda," Hall said.
Students were asked to choose what type of trial panel composition would most capably and fairly apply the single sanction.
In response, 55.6 percent ranked a panel consisting of both randomly selected University students and Committee members as their first choice. Another 31.1 percent said a panel of randomly selected University students would be best, and 13.3 percent chose a panel of only Committee members.
The Committee has about 600 pages of data from survey, as well as about 300 pages of student comments Hall said.
But with further analysis and cross-tabulation, "hopefully we can respond to student concerns," Hall said.
The survey was written by Committee members with the assistance of the University's Office of Institutional Assessment, and was conducted from November 2000 to January 2001.
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