A student has elected to have an open Honor trial, the first in three years. The trial is slated to begin on the morning of Nov. 6.
The most recent open honor trial was held in 2002 when third-year College student Adam Boyd was found guilty of cheating in an astronomy class.
The Honor Committee will not be releasing the name of the accused student until the time of the trial.
"We will not be releasing any other information besides date and time," Vice Chair for Trials Stewart Ackerly said. "The student has the option to make it a closed trial until the last second."
Ackerly said the procedure for an open trial is identical to that of a closed one, except that it is open to the public.
"We're treating it like a normal case until the actual trial," Committee Chair David Hobbs said.
As in all honor trials, if the accused student is found guilty, he or she will be expelled under the single sanction.
Because of the size of the Trial Room located on the fourth floor of Newcomb Hall, approximately 45 tickets will be distributed during the week of the trial. The tickets will be available at the Newcomb Hall Information Desk to all members of the University community on a first come, first serve basis.
The Boyd trial was simulcast for additional viewers in the Commonwealth Room of Newcomb Hall.
According to Nicole Eramo, special assistant to the Honor Committee, no plans are currently underway to broadcast the upcoming trial.
All students accused of an honor offense can opt to have an open trial, but few students actually do so.
"It's hard to nail down why a student does it," Hobbs said. "It's really just a personal preference."
According to Ackerly, some students request an open trial to guarantee the impartiality of the proceedings.
"Students want to make sure it's as fair as possible," he said.
An open honor trial is an opportunity for those outside of the Committee to witness proceedings that are usually held in strict confidence.
"It's a great educational tool, and it really shows how the process works," Hobbs said.
In closed trials, the parties involved are not allowed to disclose any details of the case, and only information that does not identify the accused student is released to the press.
An open trial is an excellent chance for the University community to observe the honor process, Hobbs said, adding that the Committee would like to make the process more transparent.
"We don't want to be secretive," Hobbs said. "We just have to be confidential."
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