Download - Honor Code 2011

“We will strive to build a community based on respect, honesty, and courage.”

HONOR CODE

Honor Code

Table of Contents

Mission.............................................................................................1

HonorCode......................................................................................2

HonorSystem...................................................................................3

ValuesEducation.............................................................................9

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Honor Code

ThemissionofTheHaverfordSchoolHonorCodeistofacilitatethemoral,social, and character development of each boy and prepare students toaddress moral challenges honorably. The Honor Code promotes a strongsenseofcommunitybasedonrespect,honesty,andcourage.

Mission

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Honor Code

Honor Code

WEWILLSTRIVETOBUILDACOMMUNITYBASEDONRESPECT,HONESTY,ANDCOURAGE.

ThefollowingquestionsareguidelinestohelpmembersofTheHaverfordSchoolcommunitymaketherightchoices:

Doesthisactionmisleadordeceive? Doesthisactiongivemeorothersanunfairadvantage? Doesthisactiondepriveanotherpersonofhis/herrightfulproperty? Doesthisactionhurtordisrespectanotherperson? DoesthisactionbringdiscredittoTheHaverfordSchoolcommunity andreputation?

AlthoughtheabovequestionsarenotpartoftheformalHonorCode,theyareessentialtohelpingstudentslivebytheHonorCode.

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Honor Code

Article I. Honor Council Structure.

1. FourFormVIStudents ThreeFormVStudents TwoFormIVStudents Twonon-votingFacultyAdvisors

2.AnystudentwishingtobeontheHonorCouncilmustsubmitaletterofintent.

Oncethelettersaresubmitted,theHonorCouncilreviewsthemandselectscandidatestobeinterviewed.Aftertheinterviewprocess,finalistsfromeachFormareselectedbytheHonorCouncil,andthengiventheopportunitytogiveaspeechtotheirForm.ThesecandidatesarethenvotedonbyFormtodeterminetherepresentative(s).

3.EachyeartworisingFormIVstudents,onerisingFormVstudent,andonerisingFormVIstudentareaddedtoserveontheHonorCouncil.Onceselected,astudentservesfortheremainderofhisyearsatHaverford.

4.ByamajorityvotetheHonorCouncilmayaskanymemberitfeelshasviolatedtheHonorCodeorasignificantCommunityStandardtoleavetheHonorCouncil.Inthiscase,theHonorCouncilselectsanothermemberoftheviolator’sFormtofillhispositionontheHonorCouncil.

Article II. Honor Council: Roles and Responsibilities.

CHAIRMANTheChairman,aVIFormer,isresponsibleforrunningeachhearing.HespeakstoallthewitnessesduringtheHonorCouncilHearingandinitiatesandcontrolsthequestion-and-answersessions,butheisnottheonlyonewhocanaskquestions.HeisalsoresponsibleforkeepingorderandensuringthattheHonorCouncilHearingsanddeliberationsrunsmoothlyandefficiently.

Honor System

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Honor Code

VICE-CHAIRMANTheVice-Chairman,aVIFormer,isresponsibleforinformingallmembersoftheHonorCouncilandtherandomlyselectedjurymembersofthetimeanddateofaparticularHonorCouncilHearing.IftheChairmanisunabletocompletehisduties,theVice-Chairmanwillassumeallofhisresponsibilities.

BAILIFFTheBailiff,aVIFormer,servesasanescorttoallpartiesinandoutoftheHonorCouncilHearingroom.Hispurpose is tocalmthepersoninquestionandallwitnesses.Hewillalsoexplaintheproceduresof thehearingtothepersoninquestion and all witnesses. The Bailiff also introduces each person as he/shecomesintotheHonorCouncilHearingroom.

SCRIBETheScribeisanon-votingmemberoftheHonorCouncil.Hisprimaryfunctionistoserveasthesecretaryofthehearing.Whilehedoesnotvote,hedoesattendthedeliberationsinordertoansweranyquestionsthatmayariseregardinghisnotes.

COUNCIL MEMBERSThe council members are present at the hearings. They ask questions of thepersoninquestionandallwitnesses.AttheconclusionoftheHonorCouncilHearing,thecouncilmembersandjurymemberswillmakearecommendationtotheHeadoftheUpperSchool.

GRAND JURYTheGrandJury,consistingoftheChairmanoftheCouncil,theHonorCouncilAdvisors,andtworandomlyselectedmembersofthepersoninquestion’sForm,will determine if the incident is a possible violation of the Honor Code andthereforewarrantsahearing.

JURY MEMBERSThe jury members are present at the Honor Council Hearing. Jurors act ascouncilmembersandhaveanequalrole,butareonlyselectedforthatparticularHonorCouncilHearing.Theyareselectedatrandom.Theyaskquestionsofthepersoninquestionandallwitnesses.AttheconclusionoftheHonorCouncilHearing,thejurymembersandthecouncilmembersdeliberateandthenmakearecommendationtotheHeadoftheUpperSchool.

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Article III. Honor Council Hearing Procedures.

When an allegation is raised concerning a student of The Haverford School,this allegation may be reported to any administrator, faculty member, orrepresentativeoftheHonorCouncil.TheDeanofStudentswillinvestigatetheallegationbyspeakingtoallpartiesinvolved.Oncetheinvestigationiscomplete,the Dean of Students will present the evidence to the Grand Jury, who willdetermine,byamajorityvote,whetheranHonorCouncilHearingiswarranted.The Grand Jury will make its decision by applying the five questions statedundertheHonorCode.

AnaffirmativeresponsetoanyofthequestionsmaywarrantanHonorCouncilHearing.Ifahearingisnotdeemedneccessary,theHeadoftheUpperSchoolmay still impose other disciplinary measures according to the Upper SchoolHandbook.ShouldanHonorCouncilHearingbedeemednecessary,awitnesslistwillbecompiledbytheDeanofStudents.Thislistwillincludeallteachers,advocates,andotherwitnesseswhomayclarifythesituation.

PriortoanHonorCouncilHearing,aneleven-person jurywillbeselected.Ifpossible,sixoftheelevenjurymemberswillbeselectedfromtheHonorCouncilonarotatingbasis.Theremainingfivejurymemberswillberandomlyselectedfromthestudentbodyaccordingtothetablebelow(IIIFormersarenoteligibletoserveasjurymembersuntilsecondsemester).

FormofPersoninQuestion

NumberofVIFormers

NumberofVFormers

NumberofIVFormers

NumberofIIIFormers

VI 3 1 1 0V 1 3 1 0IV 1 1 3 0III 1 1 1 2*

*Duringfirstsemester,thetwoIIIFormjurymemberswillbereplacedbyaIVandVFormer.

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Twoalternateswillalsoberandomlyselected,oneVIFormerandoneVFormer,whowillserveintheeventthatsomeoneisunavailable.

Theentirestudentbodyiseligibletoserveonajury,exceptforastudentwhohasviolatedtheHonorCode.StudentswhohaveviolatedtheHonorCodeareineligibletoserveonajuryforthatacademicyear.

Intheeventthattwoormorestudentsareinvolvedinthesameallegation,onejurywillbeselectedutilizingtheFormofthemostseniorpersoninquestion.ShouldanallegationariseduringanHonorCouncilHearing(i.e.awitnessnottellingthetruth),thejurysittingonthathearingwillalsoserveasthejuryforanysubsequenthearing(s).

PriortotheHonorCouncilHearing,allthejurymemberswillbebriefedaboutconfidentialityandbeingunbiasedandberequiredtosignanagreement.TheywillalsobegivenabroadoverviewoftheHonorCouncilHearing.Thisbriefingshouldbeunbiasedandstateonlythefacts, thenamesoftheaccuserandtheperson inquestion,andwhatallegedlyhappened.Thisbriefing is intendedtosharethefactsofthecaseandtoprovideeachjurymembertheopportunitytorecusehimself.

The hearing begins with the Dean of Students presenting backgroundinformationandansweringanyquestionspertainingtothecase.FollowingtheDeanofStudents,theaccuserandallwitnesseswillmeetindividuallywiththeHonor Council. There will be a question-and-answer period following eachperson’s testimony.Afterall testimonies, thepersoninquestionwillentertheHonorCouncilHearing.Thepersoninquestionwillbereadhisrights,whichinclude:

1.makingastatementonhisbehalf; 2.havingateacheradvocate;and 3.havingothersmakestatementsaboutthefactsofthecase.

Thepersoninquestionwillthenbereadtheaccusationsagainsthimaccordingtothescriptbelowandaskedifheagreesordisagrees.

“You are here because there are allegations against you involving lying,cheating, stealing, vandalism, disrespect, and/or violence that is a violationofTheHaverfordSchoolHonorCode,whichstates, ‘Wewillstrivetobuildacommunitybasedonrespect,honesty,andcourage.’

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Honor Code

“Morespecifically,itisallegedthatquestionnumber(s)1,2,3,4,and/or5oftheHonorCode,whichstate(s)(chooserulebelow),was/wereviolated.

1.Doesthisactionmisleadordeceive? 2.Doesthisactiongivemeorothersanunfairadvantage? 3.Doesthisactiondepriveanotherpersonofhis/herrightfulproperty? 4.Doesthisactionhurtordisrespectanotherperson? 5.DoesthisactionbringdiscredittoTheHaverfordSchoolcommunity andreputation?”

The person in question will then testify, and his advocate will be given anopportunitytomakeaclosingstatement.

Once all the facts and mitigating circumstances have been presented,deliberationswillbegin.After a recommendationregardingboth thepunitiveand rehabilitative measures has been agreed upon by a majority vote, theChairmanoftheHonorCouncil,inthepresenceofoneHonorCouncilFacultyAdvisor,willpresenttherecommendationanditsrationaletotheHeadoftheUpperSchool.Onceadecisionisreached,theChairmanoftheHonorCouncilwillpresentthedecisiontothepersoninquestionandlatertotheentireUpperSchool.

TheHonorCouncilisdeliberateandthoughtfulinhearingeachstudent’scase.The Head of the Upper School meets with the Head of the Honor Counciland a faculty advisor to carefully consider the case before choosing to enacttherecommendation.IfastudentbelievesthatthehearingwasnotconductedfairlyandinaccordancewiththehighstandardstowhichtheHonorCouncilaspires or that the final punishment and rehabilitation are not commensuratewiththeoffense,hehastheoptionofappealingthedecisiontotheHeadmaster.Todoso,hemustwriteadetailedletterinformingtheHeadmasterastowhyhebelieveshiscasemeritsanexceptionandheshouldbepreparedtospeaktothesecircumstances.

Article IV. Consequences.

The goal of the Honor System is to promote personalgrowthand to supportcommunity standards. Remembering that rehabilitation and personal growth

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Honor Code

aregoalsoftheHonorSystem,theHonorCouncilwillconsidermitigatingandextenuatingcircumstanceswhenmakingitsrecommendation.

Article V. Amendments.

Amendments to the Honor Code may be proposed in two ways: First, anamendment may be proposed by a vote of two thirds of the entire HonorCouncil.Second,anamendmentmaybeproposedbyapetitionsignedbytenpercentoftheUpperSchoolstudentbody.

ForanamendmenttotheHonor Codetotakeeffect,theremustbearatifyingvoteinthesecondsemesterinwhichtwothirdsoftheentirestudentbodyvotesinfavoroftheamendment.

AmendmentstotheHonor SystemmaybeproposedtotheHonorCouncilbyanymemberofTheHaverfordSchoolCommunity.

ForanamendmenttotheHonor Systemtotakeeffect,theremustbearatifyingvote in which two thirds of the entire Honor Council votes in favor of theamendment.

Article VI. Annual Events.

Atthebeginningoftheacademicyear,allUpperSchoolstudentswillparticipateinaceremonythatmarkstheircommitmenttotheHonorCode.

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Honor Code

The primary responsibility of the Honor Council is to promote the valuesincluded in the Statement of Values through educational programs thatencouragestudentstothinkaboutandactonthesevalues.

Faculty and the Honor System

FacultyandstaffplayanimportantroleinsupportingandpromotingtheHonorCode.Facultymembers’actionsandbehaviorshouldbeexemplaryinsideandoutside the classroom. Teachers have the responsibility to define the specificHonorStandardsinanyacademicworkintheircourse.

Atthebeginningofthecourse,teachersmustexplainthedefinitionof“authorized”and“unauthorized”helponassignments.Ifastudent isuncertainaboutwhathelpheispermittedtoreceive,hemustasktheteacherforclarification.

Parents and the Honor System

AlthoughparentsdonotplayaformalroleintheworkingsoftheHonorCodeortheHonorCouncil,theyplayavitalroleinsupportingtheHonorCodeandeducatingtheirchildrenabouthonor.Theschoolwillinformtheparentsofanaccused student regarding any allegations involving their son. Parents shouldalsobeawareofandsupporttheHonorCodeforallacademicassignments.

Values Education

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