UNC plans to make Honor Court staff-led after over 100 years of student leadership

In an email to the UNC community on July 17, the University announced that it plans to shift the student-led Honor System – which has existed at the University for over 100 years – to a model with hearings and related processes guided by University staff.

The email, signed by Provost Chris Clemens and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Amy Johnson, stated that the change was to "ensure consistency across cases and to reduce unreasonable burden on student adjudicators."

Students would still be a part of the Honor System as part of an advisory board — also including faculty and staff — who would convene to provide ongoing counsel and feedback to Student Affairs and the Student Conduct teams, the email stated.

A special meeting of the Honor Court was held July 16 with two closed session meetings. An anonymous member of the honor court told The Daily Tar Heel on July 17 that the members learned of the University's plans the night before. 

Johnson said that members of the honor court would carry on working on cases that continue past August 11 under the organization of the current system.

In a frequently asked questions document linked to the email stated that "these changes would aim to resolve potential concerns related to institutional risk and precedence inconsistencies created by not having a University official involved in most hearings or decision-making processes, as this authority has been delegated almost entirely to students — none of whom see 'across the landscape' of related conduct cases."

The email also stated that the shift is consistent with peer institutions across the country and in the UNC System, as UNC was one of two student-led Undergraduate Honor Systems in the United States, based on information from the UNC Honor System Instagram account.

The FAQ document stated that student conduct policies are created through the interim Chancellor Lee Roberts' delegated authority.

The two branches of the UNC Honor System, the Undergraduate and the ​​Graduate and Professional Honor Court, both dealt with Honor Code infractions and the Instrument of Student Judicial Governance.

The Honor System process begins with an investigation directed by the student attorney general. After examining information, the attorney general and their staff would charge a student if they decide that their behavior violated the Honor Code. Following an investigation, a case went to the hearing stage, which would differ depending on a student’s plea.

If a student was found guilty in a hearing, they were sentenced, which could include sanctions from academic consequences, to expulsion.

The Honor System has gone through changes and publicity in the past, with the UNC Faculty Council voting to remove sexual misconduct cases from the discretion of the Honor System in April 2012.

The FAQ document also stated that the new model would have opportunities for the campus community to be involved in the process, including opportunities to volunteer to participate as a member of a hearing board pool or to serve as a peer or professional advisor to a student.

The email and FAQ document do not outline if students will continue to be assigned student counsels as defense.

In a previous Daily Tar Heel article surrounding the understanding of the UNC Honor System, Sashank Ganapathiraju, a case manager for the undergraduate attorney general’s staff, said that students represent students within the honor system because the court should understand what students are going through.

“It's really cool that Chapel Hill is one of the very, very few universities who has a student-run Honor System, but I think it's valuable that we keep it this way,” he said.

This is a developing story last updated at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, check back for updates. 

CLARIFICATION: The Daily Tar Heel has edited the position of Sashank Ganapathiraju and details about dates honor court members will continue working within the current system for accuracy.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article stated that the honor court would be faculty-led, as opposed to professional staff-led. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for this error. 

@a_nanyabusiness

@dailytarheel | university@dailytarheel.com