The Honor Committee approved the Code of Ethics that will govern the 2006-2007 committee and discussed goals for subcommittees at last night's meeting.
The committee also addressed a petition circulated following the recent open honor trial in which third-year Engineering student Steve Gilday was convicted of an honor offense.
Some committee members disagreed with the wording governing the conflict of interest policy addressed in this year's Code of Ethics.
The policy includes any situation in which an Honor Committee member, advisor or counsel has reported the case in question or had the case in question reported against him or her. Conflicts of interest can also include situations in which Honor members have information about the case in question or have had a "significant prior relationship" with the reporter, the accused or a witness in a case.
"Most of us are concerned with the avoiding the appearance of impropriety," said Diane Gigantino, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences representative. "We want to make sure this is the most professional system possible. ... We know what the system is for assigning the counsel but outside of the system people won't see that."
The policy passed but Honor Chair Alison Tramba reminded the committee it could be adjusted as the committee's term continues.
Committee members also outlined goals for the upcoming year including diversity, student understanding of the honor system and the investigation of the single sanction.
Commerce Rep. Toby Zhang, Diversity Advisory Board chair, asked committee members to submit names of students and administrators who would be interested in working towards an agenda that can be addressed in a year or two.
Ideas for increased student understanding of Honor included webcasts of mock trials, meetings outside of Newcomb and improvements in dorm liaison programs.
Tramba reminded the committee of the ad hoc committee for investigation of the single sanction, which was instituted following approval of a referendum two years ago.
Tramba said the Committee has to define the ad hoc committee.
"I think we shoot ourselves in the foot by having Honor be a homogenous group," Medical representative Alex Hawkins said. Honor should "really try and take a pulse of all the different views that are out there. The investigation of the single sanction group last year did a great job but I think as the focus shifts we'd really help ourselves out by having a wide range of public voices on that committee."
At the meeting's conclusion, Tramba discussed a petition that had been submitted to Vice Chair for Trials Jay Trickett encouraging the Committee to grant the appeal of Steven Gilday, who was convicted of cheating in an open honor trial March 26.
According to Tramba, 888 students signed the petition.
Trickett communicated the Committee's appreciation of the students' interest but said the petition will have no affect on the outcome of the appeal.
"I was frankly very impressed that this many students were responding," Tramba said. "We like to see active participation but [this is] not something that could affect the procedure."
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