After two years of work, the proposed Ohio University Student Honor Code is a week away from the vote to place it on a university-wide ballot.
The Honor Code Council appealed to Student Senate last night, asking them to pass a resolution next week to include the final version of the code on the student election ballot in the spring.
While the code is not yet finalized, the vote to add it to the ballot will take place at next week's meeting. The council said that the final draft would be available to all students within a couple of weeks.
Once on the ballot, convincing students to vote for the Honor Code will depend on the council's ability to promote the code, said Andy Burnette, East Green senator and founder of the council.
Our main objective is that most students will see it before they vote
Burnette said, and added the council is considering hosting programs such as a skit and a rap battle to promote the code.
The proposed Honor Code aims to address the areas of academic integrity, as well as civic and social responsibility.
Students need to be held to a standard higher than just expecting them to take their own tests, said Kyle Triplett, student trustee and chairman on the Honor Code Council. The idea is to make something more substantial than that.
The Honor Council has also sought the input from students, faculty and various student organizations in writing the Honor Code, said Emily Hanford, secretary of the Honor Code Council.
I'm hoping students feel more of a connection with each other Hanford said. I hope that we can have school spirit beyond support of athletics.
The code will reflect the university's connection with the City of Athens, Triplett said.
One of the unique things about OU is that the university and Athens are intertwined Triplett said.
If the resolution is passed the council members said they hope the code will be incorporated into all aspects of the university.
Triplett said he hopes that professors will include pertinent parts of academic integrity in their syllabi and that it can inspire students to do the right things in all aspects of their lives.
Ultimately I don't want this to get passed and sit on a shelf
Triplett said.
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Rosie Haney
