A QUESTION OF HONOR

Cornell's overwhelming vote of 3,500 to 354 in favor of an honor system brings up the question of extending undergraduate responsibility at Harvard.

So long as there is an effective proctor system, there is no temptation for the "weak sister" to cheat. For this reason, and because of the more serious offense there is no cribbing in midyear and final examinations. In minor tests where cheating does not appear so black, and where supervision is often impossible, a small proportion of a class often take advantage of unfair means of getting information. It is extremely desirable to put an end to this situation by establishing a clear standard of right and wrong. This can only be brought through the weight of public opinion. Whether a change in the undergraduate attitude would result from the introduction of the Cornell system here is an open question.

Cornell is the second large college within a month to expand its present status of student government. Only recently Princeton, by giving the power of dismissal to its senior council, has made considerable progress in the evolution of its honor system which has been in operation since 1893. Cornell and Princeton are by no means alone in their actions, for, according to Professor Baldwin of the University of Iowa, there are 123 institutions in the United States which have formal honor systems.

In the organization at Cornell, stress is laid on the Honor Committee which consists of five members elected each year by the entire student body. It is the duty of this committee to hear and try all cases of cheating submitted to them. These hearings are held in private and each student has the right to appeal for a second trial, and also, a public one, if he so desires. Finally, the decisions and the verdicts are sent to the dean of the college and all records are deposited with the registrar.

Such a system eliminates the necessity of proctors at the examinations at Cornell. It means a square deal to the student who is honest in his actions with the faculty and with his fellow students. If properly executed it means the expulsion of the man who is injuring his own morals and deceiving the University faculty, by cribbing. It leads to further expansion of student self-government.