During the fall 2008 Dean Warren Frisina will appoint an HUHC task force to study the possibility of establishing an HUHC honor code. Most colleges and universities are governed by a set of rules that are established and enforced by faculty and administrators. A few rely on an honor code that entails a broader commitment to a set of standards approved by all community members, including students. Schools with honor codes include Haverford, Virginia, George Mason, James Madison, U.S. Military Academy, and Washington and Lee.

Dean Frisina said, “This initiative is not a response to a concern about student cheating. Quite the opposite. I’m instigating this discussion because I believe strongly that we determine the kind of community we are by the conversations we are willing to have. I don’t know whether an honor code is an appropriate thing for HUHC. But we’ll never know if we don’t ask the question. Either way, HUHC will benefit from talking through the issues.”

Dean Frisina went on to emphasize that at this point the commitment is only to having the conversation. “Obviously, there is much to be done. We’d have to talk through whether this is a tool we want to use. We’d also have to explore different models, and ultimately come around to thinking concretely about whether such a program can be implemented at HUHC.”

The task force’s initial charge will be to develop a plan to draw all HUHC constituencies into the yearlong conversation. They will need to seek input from current students, alumni, faculty, the HUHC Council, and administrators from throughout the University. Beyond that, the task force will be asked to gather information from other schools that operate with honor codes. Its goal will be to make a recommendation by spring 2009.

Alumni who have initial thoughts on the question are invited to send an e-mail on the subject to honors@hofstra.edu. All comments will be reviewed by task force members. Additional opportunities for input will be forthcoming.