Saturday's trial was the first open trial in two years, giving the University community a chance to observe a process rarely seen.
Tickets were handed out for places in the trial room and the trial was simulcast to another room as well.
"I think this trial was treated like any other trial, the only difference were the other people in the room," Honor Chairman Christopher Smith said. "The observers were very professional in their behavior."
Fourth-year College student Shadi Kourosh observed the proceedings from the simulcast room and said she thought it was a great opportunity to see something not usually seen.
"I went in pretty unbiased and, honestly, [Boyd's] behavior was unsettling. They made a strong case against him," Kourosh said. "There was no celebrating his expulsion, but it is nice to see a student jury uphold the ideals of the honor system and the counsels handled themselves very professionally."
Kourosh said there was frequent discussion in the simulcast room regarding the content of the trial.
"The group ranged from parents to law students -- it was a microcosm of U.Va., a sampling of perspectives," Kourosh said. "There was a lot of sharing of opinions and talking about what was going on."
Astronomy Prof. Charles Tolbert, Boyd's accuser, also said he was pleased with the conduct of the trial.
"On one side I was glad to see the honor system work as it is supposed to, but on the other I feel very bad for Mr. Boyd," Tolbert said. "I felt the trial was very fair and professionally conducted."
Jurors also responded positively to the experience. After the trial jurors filled out evaluations of the process, in which they were asked how their opinions of the honor system were changed by the trial.
All 11 jurors said their opinion of the honor system was very high after participating in the trial.
"I thought [the honor system] was an unfair, biased, paganistic system," wrote one juror, summarizing her view of the honor system before Saturday. She continued, saying her opinion had drastically changed.
"I have grown extremely by this experience," she wrote. "I have already changed my view of the system and feel willing to share it with others."
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