Honor Process Details
The honor process at Reed College is both unique and effective in enforcing and inculcating a respect for the community and for the honor principle itself. Because the honor principle is not simply a set of statutes that need to be enforced in a black or white manner, the honor process is similarly multifaceted. In fact, the honor principle’s focus on self-governance and community is mirrored in the honor process. Members of the community are encouraged and exhorted to engage one another and the community at large with respect to honor issues. The system works best when we all fulfill our duties to honor and assume our roles in the honor process as informed and responsible members of the community.
Honor Case
When mediation fails, or the offense cannot be mediated (e.g. cases of alleged sexual assault, violence or academic misconduct), the issue becomes an honor case. If those implicated of an honor violation are students, the nature of the conflict is not sexual misconduct and school is in session the case goes before the Judicial Board, a group of twelve students appointed by the Senate. The Judicial Board hears the case and makes a recommendation to the Vice President for Student Life, who can choose whether or not to accept it. Judicial Board hearings are confidential to all involved, including witnesses. Cases can be brought against a student or students on behalf of one student, many students, faculty or staff members, or the community itself. The Judicial Board code specifies procedures for those involved. However, a member of the Judicial Board, who does not hear the case, will also act as a procedural aide during an honor case, ensuring that guidelines are clear to all. The goal of the honor case is both to determine the injury to the individual(s) involved, and to remedy the situation for the well-being of the community and in light of community notions of honor.
Appeals and Appeals Board
After an honor case is decided, either party may decide to appeal the decision through the Appeals Board. This board is comprised of students and faculty. There are limited grounds for an appeal. Either disputant party may feel that the sanctions imposed were inappropriately harsh or relaxed, the board made a procedural error relevant to the finding and subsequent decision in the case (e.g. biased members failed to recuse themselves; there was inadequate or inaccurate witness testimony, etc); or finally, new facts came to light that could have affected the result of the proceedings. The procedure for appeals is outlined in detail in Section 7 of the Judicial Board code.
Special Cases (Academic Dishonesty)
The honor process works differently when Academic dishonesty is involved. Because the offense is of such a serious nature and involves a student and a faculty member, it is subject to a different series of steps. First, it is important to understand what actually happened. The instructor can either discuss the purported dishonesty with the student, and then proceed to file an Academic Misconduct Report with the Judicial Board or bypass speaking to the student and file an official report. If the student and instructor cannot agree on what took place, they may seek formal mediation to help determine the facts. If formal mediation yields no clear consensus on what transpired, then the issue goes straight to the Judicial Board.
If the student and instructor agree on the facts, and the instructor believes that this is an initial offense, and is otherwise minor, it goes to a panel consisting of the Dean of Students, a faculty member of the Administration Committee, and a member of the Judicial Board. This panel decides by majority vote whether or not the offense is indeed appropriately minor and first-time. If they approve the recommendation of the faculty member, then the Dean of Students will keep the information on file, but it will be unavailable to anyone else, and can only be reviewed in the event of another instance of academic dishonesty by the student. If the student and instructor agree on the facts, but the violation is not minor or is a repeat offense, the case goes before the Judicial Board.
If there is no consensus on whether or not academic dishonesty occurs (i.e., the student does not agree to the charge), the student can either sign the Academic Misconduct Report filled out by the instructor or submit a separate statement. The information is forwarded to the Judicial Board, who will then consider the case and make a recommendation to the Vice President for Student Life (or designee). The case will be heard with respect to the standards of academic dishonesty in the discipline at issue. For example, if there is alleged cheating on a lab report of Population Biology, member/s of the biology department may be asked to clarify what would qualify as cheating on that particular assignment of similar assignments. After the decision has been made, the student may appeal the decision to the Administration Committee of the Faculty.
Honor Process for Faculty and Staff
The faculty and staff have different venues through which honor issues are resolved if mediation does not work. If the conflict involves the faculty, the faculty member(s) involved may work with the Dean of the Faculty for a resolution to the conflict. If the conflict involves the staff, then the staff member(s) involved may work with Human Resources for a resolution.
Adjudication
According to the community constitution, if informal procedures fail, every member of the faculty, staff, and student body has the right to bring a formal complaint against a member of the Reed community and have that complaint considered by an appropriate hearing board.
Formal complaints against students must be filed with the chair of the student Judicial Board. Formal complaints against members of the faculty must be filed with the dean of the faculty in accordance with procedures set forth in the Rules of Procedure of the Faculty. Formal complaints against staff members must be filed with the director of human resources or with the staff member’s direct supervisor in accordance with procedures set forth in the staff handbook.
In summary, if a member of the community feels wronged in some way, the Honor Council offers a potential vehicle for addressing the problem. All members of the Honor Council are available to discuss and advise on a strictly confidential basis how a person may proceed both informally and formally with a grievance. The Honor Council has the potential to be an important enfranchising tool for all members of the Reed community, and all community members are urged to avail themselves of its services. If you are in doubt about what to do when you feel impinged upon, talk to someone.
If you are in need of disability-related accommodations or have questions about accessibility at any point in engaging in the judicial process, please contact Judicial Board Advisors.