The Honor Committee voted against a resolution to place a "forgiveness clause" on the spring ballot last night. The motion failed with a vote of 7-15 with one abstention.
The ad hoc Sanction Reform Committee proposed the resolution last night and stipulated that a student expelled from the University for an honor offense could apply for re-admittance after a period of two semesters. The Honor Committee would decide if it is possible to grant forgiveness to the convicted student and allow him or her to re-enter the community of trust.
Much of the objection to the resolution came from the ambiguity of the proposed procedures for readmission.
"I am concerned about arbitrary-looking decisions on the part of the Honor Committee," Vice-Chair for Education Sarah Outten said.
Since the exact by-laws of the issue have not been mapped out as of yet by the Honor Committee, some Committee members said the resolution is too vague.
"I feel uncomfortable sending something this broad to the student body," Vice-Chair for Service Lorre Luther said.
Vice-Chair for Investigation David Hobbs argued the forgiveness clause would weaken the entire honor system.
"It will convey that it is possible to cheat and remain in the student body," Hobbs said.
SRC Chair Sara Page disagreed with Hobbs.
"This is a small change that makes the honor system infinitely more humane," Page said. "The culture of honor is maintained."
Page proposed the forgiveness clause as a solution to many of the problems plaguing the single sanction, primarily low initiation rates and dwindling faculty support.
"Faculty are a majority of initiations [of honor trials] now, and they have signaled to us that they support this," she said.
Hobbs noted a lot of the support from students and faculty members is derived from the strength of the system and the positive effect it has on the University community.
The Committee raised other questions such as the issues of international student visa status, credit transfer for readmitted students, the revocation of degrees and whether lying during an honor trial constitutes an additional honor offense.
Although the Committee voted against sending the resolution directly to ballot, many members said they believe it will reach the ballot through student petitions.
"I think that there are student groups already collecting signatures to get this issue on the ballot," Page said.
If enough students sign the petitions, the forgiveness policy will be open to a student vote in the spring elections.
"I think the Honor Committee is still interested in hearing what the students think of this issue," Page said. "If the students take the initiative, it forces the Honor Committee to prepare the by-laws package for this issue."
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