Cheating/Honor Code

navygirl89

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Nov 27, 2010
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This was just something I was curious about, because most (if not all) colleges have an Honor Code, but they usually aren't Honored.

Do the majority of people actually abide by the Code at USNA?
 
First of all, most colleges do not have an honor code. They may have a code of conduct ... and increasingly, colleges have "speech codes" limiting free-speech to PC verbiage.

All Midshipmen violate the Honor Code at substantial risk of severe correction including separation.

Are there violators who escape prosecution? Are their speeding drivers who don't get caught?

But the essence of the Honor Code is not whether or not one escapes the "eyes of the law." It is in fact, HONOR. It is both being and being perceived as honest, fully dependable, truthful, of high character. Is your word good? Do you behave the same in public as you do when you think none are looking. These are not vague, esoteric notions for men and women who are dependent upon their 'mates being men and women of honor.

Great question, and I'm sure others will chime in on this.

P.S. And you are correct in noting that of those relatively few secular institutions that proclaim and tout an honor code, I'd venture to say, few are taken too seriously. Why? Because try as they might, the world's values are simply not the same as those essential to our military men and women whose very lives depend upon honor ... both from others and from themselves.

Short answer: You can count on the Honor Code being taken very seriously. It's intentions are always clear. Its implementation and interpretation can wax and wane, even at USNA as we've watched even in recent years. And part of becoming a successful Mid and officer is being transformed by the concept and practice of ... HONOR.
 
WP is correct that others, especially current Mids, will respond with their insights.

The simple answer is yes the Honor Code does matter and it is enforced sometimes with devastating consequences. Two notable examples are:

2011 - An Admiral's son who got exceedingly inebriated and did some very stupid acts before being arrested by Annapolis's finest.
2012 - The former Senior Navy quarterback, who committed a substantial honors violation and resigned before he was officially booted out of the Academy.


These were seniors who were less than 60 days from graduation, committed serious honors violations, and were dismissed. They did not receive diplomas and had to start their lives over. Yeah the Honor Code does have teeth.
 
I think a good point to bring up here is that the Naval Academy (and all service academies), no matter how much high we think of it, and the Mids (who are the best in the country, carefully selected to attend) are not perfect. I've been told by almost all of the USNA Mids/former Mids I've spoken to that one thing that disappointed them was that there were people there that were not perfect. Of course, no one will be perfect, but in all honesty, those that attend the service academies are held to a higher standard, and when they don't meet that expectation, it's probably very disappointing. The people that aren't always honest, or don't work hard, etc.

One of the moral values expected of someone who is essentially in training to become an officer in the military is honesty and integrity, which is where the Honor Code comes in, and unfortunately, yes, there are those there that do not have that honesty and integrity in them, and they are caught. Like MIDNDAD pointed out, there have been past issues, and I'm sure there will be future issues. There are people who "mess up" and do wrong, but there are also plenty (most) that do the right thing.

I'm actually not very sure the point of my post, but it was just something I've noticed Mids have said repeatedly, so I thought it might be worthwhile repeating and adding some observations of mine.
 
Two notable examples are:

2011 - An Admiral's son who got exceedingly inebriated and did some very stupid acts before being arrested by Annapolis's finest.

I would offer that your example above was a conduct violation, not an honor violation.
 
I think a good point to bring up here is that the Naval Academy (and all service academies), no matter how much high we think of it, and the Mids (who are the best in the country, carefully selected to attend) are not perfect. I've been told by almost all of the USNA Mids/former Mids I've spoken to that one thing that disappointed them was that there were people there that were not perfect. Of course, no one will be perfect, but in all honesty, those that attend the service academies are held to a higher standard, and when they don't meet that expectation, it's probably very disappointing. The people that aren't always honest, or don't work hard, etc.

One of the moral values expected of someone who is essentially in training to become an officer in the military is honesty and integrity, which is where the Honor Code comes in, and unfortunately, yes, there are those there that do not have that honesty and integrity in them, and they are caught. Like MIDNDAD pointed out, there have been past issues, and I'm sure there will be future issues. There are people who "mess up" and do wrong, but there are also plenty (most) that do the right thing.

I'm actually not very sure the point of my post, but it was just something I've noticed Mids have said repeatedly, so I thought it might be worthwhile repeating and adding some observations of mine.

Good points. And that seems to be a chronic complaint of Mids, i.e. the realization that Mids value and adhere to both the spirit and letter of the Honor Code to varying degrees. Many rightly assume upon matriculation and induction that the Honor Code is to be learned, understood, and Mids are to work at adhering to it. Others, as in every environment, see it as a code for others, and for them to be gotten around absent being caught. Rules are for others.

One of the outcomes, which was too pervasive in recent years past, is that it is demoralizing for the Brigade to watch and wonder why violations are ignored, exceptions are made, and excuses allowed. And especially when it seems to be in response to political or public relations pressures. This is one of those places where the slope can get very slippery very quickly.

And so it goes, that the significance, observance, and focus on the Honor Concept often is like a roller coaster, up and down. Not always as pristine and "honorable" in practice as it might be in concept.

But in any case, back to the OP, do not confuse the Honor Code with either university codes of conduct or the academic exercising at a few campuses pretending to impress and impose with an Honor Code. I've watched those up close. They are nice ideas that cannot and do not work beyond an occasional unfortunate example that makes the campus newspaper, lending momentary upset or outrage among the navel gazers. Despite the contention to the contrary, there is no honor among thieves.
 
Thanks Guys.

And yeah, I was wrong when I said that most colleges had honor codes, it's mostly just the Colonial schools that are simply trying to hold on to their traditions.
 
I think most schools have some level of "honor code" or the like.

The following is from the University of Michigan, College of Literature, Science & the Arts:

LSA COMMUNITY STANDARDS OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

The LSA undergraduate academic community, like all communities, functions best when its members treat one another with honesty, fairness, respect, and trust. The College holds all members of its community to high standards of scholarship and integrity. To accomplish its mission of providing an optimal educational environment and developing leaders of society, the College promotes the assumption of personal responsibility and integrity and prohibits all forms of academic dishonesty and misconduct. Academic dishonesty may be understood as any action or attempted action that may result in creating an unfair academic advantage for oneself or an unfair academic advantage or disadvantage for any other member or members of the academic community. Conduct, without regard to motive, that violates the academic integrity and ethical standards of the College community cannot be tolerated. The College seeks vigorously to achieve compliance with its community standards of academic integrity. Violations of the standards will not be tolerated and will result in serious consequences and disciplinary action.
 
I think most educational institutions have an academic honor code or concept. It solely relates to academic work....cheating on an exam, plagarizing, etc.

The Honor Code/Concept at the Service Academies extends well beyond academics.

If a MIDN doesn't show to muster (attendance) and then lies about where/what they were doing to "cover" their behinds, that is a problem at an SA. At XYZ University/College, where a student told the professor the reason why he/she missed class was sickness (even though it was really from sleeping in) and that resulted in the professor giving type written notes, when that kind of assistance would not have been provided, normally wouldn't result in any significant consequences.

Or the MIDN who reports that they ran 3 seconds faster on the PRT to avoid failing the run portion. I got it that the PRT isn't ran at civilan college/universities....but the point being is that honor isn't limited to the classroom.
 
The Honor Code/Concept at the Service Academies.

.

I have a question. Is there a difference between one service academy's honor code and another service academy's honor concept? Can you explain the difference? Which one do you think is better, and why?
 
1. Yes, there is a difference.
2. Instead of saying one is "better," they are just different.
3. If you search the forums or google, you will be able to easily find the differences in each of the SA's honor concept/code.
 
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