Like the University, faculty at other Virginia colleges and universities play an integral role in supporting and maintaining their honor systems.
At the University of Richmond, faculty members are largely responsible for initiating honor cases even though the system is entirely student-run, said Chase Rowan, Richmond College honor council chair.
"They are the principle source of accusations," Rowan said. "So they really serve as the discovery mechanism for us."
Students are expected to abide by a non-toleration clause similar to the one the University used to have, Rowan said. He added that while low student initiations are a "reality," faculty "do not mind being the bringers" of honor charges.
"We typically have almost unanimous support," Rowan said. "By and large we have a deeply supportive faculty, and we are lucky for that."
The University of Richmond uses a graduated sanction system in which there is no pre-determined sanction for each honor violation. For example, a student who commits an honor offense for the first time will receive automatic honor probation. If the student commits a second violation, he or she is subject to expulsion, but other sanctions can be levied as well, such as failure for the assignment, loss of credit or suspension.
Rowan said the faculty is supportive of the graduated sanction system.
"We have a number of faculty who have come out of single-sanction schools, and they said they wouldn't report with a single sanction," Rowan said, adding that faculty members believe a multiple sanction system is more "closely tailored, more educational and less punitive" than a single sanction system.
The honor system at the College of William & Mary is similar to that of the University in that it is entirely student-run and does not have a non-toleration clause. It differs, however, in that it does not have a single-sanction.
Patrick Herrel, chair of William & Mary's honor council, said while it is the students' responsibility to uphold the honor code, there are proportionately more faculty turn-ins than student turn-ins.
"Students are just as responsible," Herrel said. "Quite frankly, I think they might be more responsible [than faculty] because the honor system is a direct benefit to them."
A concern among the faculty is the lengthy process of participating in an honor case, which usually take several weeks, Herrel said.
"I think that's probably the most common complaint," he said. "But there is enough agreement and support that, on the whole, the faculty members are willing to go through the process because of what the system gives back to the school at large."
Faculty members are the sole initiators of honor cases at James Madison University. According to Naheed Ahmed, the honor council's faculty relations chair, students cannot bring formal charges against other students. Students who witness an honor offense, however, are expected to report it to the appropriate faculty member.
Not only do faculty members bring forth honor charges, several also serve on the honor council. The council is comprised of approximately 100 members, half of whom are volunteer faculty representatives.
Both student and faculty representatives participate in honor hearings and are responsible for sentencing convicted students under a multi-sanction system.
"There are different sanctions, which I think the faculty members do like," Ahmed said. "They have options."
Faculty members also serve on the honor council to supplement the student-run system at Mary Washington College, Faculty President Ernie Ackerman said.
"The faculty help with cases and help faculty members involved in cases," Ackerman said. "They act as advisors who interpret the honor system and procedures."
Alan McDaniel, Virginia Tech faculty advisor and chair of the honor system, said their system is student-run with faculty support.
According to McDaniel, faculty members hesitate to initiate cases because they are not entirely certain an offense has occurred.
"There is a need to educate the faculty as well as the students," McDaniel said. "We emphasize to everyone that if you have a suspicion, it should go to the system."
After serving as chair for one year, McDaniel said there have been no student initiations.
"I have no direct examples or evidence for student initiations," McDaniel said. "In situations where students face a moral dilemma, I do not think all of them know how to respond."
Some faculty members do not initiate cases because of the time commitment involved.
"We're handicapped," McDaniel said. "We're all pressed for time and energy."
To better educate faculty, McDaniel said student members of the honor council are attempting to increase communication with faculty members.
"Student members have taken it upon themselves to take on the departments," McDaniel said.
Virginia Tech has a multi-sanction system with six levels of offenses. Students are only expelled after their second offense.
"Most cases are at the intermediate or low level," McDaniel said. "The system emphasizes education and learning from mistakes."
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