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OPINION
Tuesday, November 20, 2012 | The Cavalier Daily
All you judges beware
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There was insufficient evidence to expel two students at Sunday’s open Honor trial
stablished in 1842, friendly, very intelligent and a t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f diligent worker. He got accused Virginia Honor System of cheating, of “shuffling papers is the nation’s oldest student- and whispering” according run honor system and one to yesterday’s article in The Cavalier Daily. of U.Va.’s most By t h r e e w i t cherished instiMONIKA ABRAMENKO nesses. Proof for tutions. Based GUEST VIEWPOINT their violation: on the principle 49/50 answers that University students want to be trusted, the matched. If Kevin Nguyen Honor System helps create and worked in this biology class strengthen a school-wide com- the way he worked for my math class he must have gotten munity of trust.“ 49/50 answers right, at least. An Beautiful! Those who violate the stan- exceptional student, no doubt. Did these two students cheat, dard of honor are asked to did they compare answers? If leave the University. Right so! But here is the problem, per- they both say NO and one witsonalized by a former student ness accuses them nevertheless, of mine: an Echols scholar, the is this enough to give the fatal best student I had in class in the blow to both of them? That’s spring semester 2012, modest, what happened yesterday.
Kevin’s ordeal started when reason for Kevin to cheat (he this one witness decided to was on top already, grades bring the incident to the Honor could not get any better). S h o u l d Ke v i n a p p e a l , g o Committee; Kevin held up his standard, he continued to work through another semester of anguish or hard, he s u c c e e d e d “If Kevin Nguyen worked in s h o u l d h e , uch a sucwith the this biology class the way he scessful, prombest final in worked for my math class ising student Linear Algebra. Now he must have gotten 49/50 start all over omewhere the ordeal answers right, at least. An selse? continued exceptional student, What a loss throughfor the Uniout the fall no doubt.” v e r s i t y, o n semester every imaginand until I got the email yesterday I was able level! This honor system sounds confident that the case would be decided “in dubio pro reo” great — but a Committee of since there was no real proof, a handful of students who, statement against statement according to Vice Chair for and I couldn’t even think of a Trials Clifton Bumgardner “did
not put undue emphasis on the outcome” of their decision, might have forgotten the founding idea: “University faculty established an ‘honor pledge’ on examinations, agreeing to trust students when they pledged that they had ‘neither received nor given assistance’ on their schoolwork.” It’s a two way trust. That’s the reason for “in dubio pro reo.” Let’s not forget what our decisions mean to others, never and under no circumstances. THAT helps to sort right from wrong. Respectfully submitted, Monika Abramenko is a lecturer in the Department of Engineering and Society – Applied Mathematics Program.
Reacting to the ‘dis-honorable’
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There is a difference between waiving one’s right to confidentiality and taking advantage of that forgone right to publicize a wrongdoing to an entire community
WHILE AGO, The Cavalier slew of potential questions. There is nothing wrong with Daily published a tweet ( f o l l o w e d b y a f u l l publishing an article detailing article) on two students who the facts of a public honor trial. were expelled for cheating, after The Cavalier Daily is not wrong to do this. In some being found guilty cases, it might even by a student jury on JONATHAN LIM be the right thing to a public Honor ComGUEST VIEWPOINT do, because transparmittee trial. To have ency and accountan open honor trial is rare; honor trials are usually ability to the community are held behind closed doors. The values that we as University tweet was circulated across students should uphold. If the groups of students immediately students waive their right to after it was published; people confidentiality, telling the entire were discussing the expelled University community about it students fervently because their has not violated any rights. However, we have to think full names were disclosed. One of the expelled students shut carefully about the purpose down his Facebook account, behind the act of publicizing probably to avoid the onslaught the names of expelled students. of social repercussions and the What message are we sending to
the rest of the University when the purpose? Respecting the waiver of a stuwe fully disclose the names of the expelled students blown-up dent’s right to confidentiality on the front page of the Novem- is one issue. Using this forgone ber 19 issue of The Cavalier right to establish a widespread, public conDaily, with a picture of the “However, we have to think trast between ‘us and them,’ face of one of carefully about the between the the students purpose behind the act of ‘honorable’ taking cenand the ‘unter-stage in publicizing the names of honorable,’ is the article? expelled students.” another. What is the Transparpurpose of ency perhaps begets graciousputting a face to the name? Informing the community ness. It is no doubt our duty to about an objective fact; deter- release and publish the truth, ring potential cheaters and and to reflect reality like it is. upholding the honor code; But while we may aspire to be shaming the students because a transparent, responsible and this is not something we toler- accountable community — are ate at the University? What is we a gracious community? Are
we imposing a collective judgment on the act of cheating, or are we imposing a judgment on the people? How we react to members who have violated the norms of our community is an indicator of how mature we are as a community. How we, as a community, treat forgone rights is also another indicator. While there was no distinct wrong on The Cavalier Daily’s part to publish the results of the public honor trial and the names of the students who got expelled, the manner in which it was published leaves a lot to be desired. Jonathan Lim is a third year in the College.
Minority rules
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A recent event by the Minority Rights’ Coalition emphasized the importance of political demographics, with or without an election
HIS PAST Monday, the also part of the Autistic Self-Advo Minority Rights’ Coalition cacy Network. Questions ranged ( M R C ) h o s t e d t h e i r from expectations to realities Diversity Discussion Panel of minority turnout, what canregarding the 2012 Elections. didates in the future will have to conThe MRC, which ZAIN SHAIKH & sider represents seven when minority umbrella ERIN ABDELRAZAQ r u n organizations on GUEST VIEWPOINT ning, Grounds, initially a n d planned to have this event prior to the election what minority students can do with the intention of educat- themselves to make their voice ing on issues important to their heard in the coming years. Both panelists agreed that respective populations. Due to the hurricane, however, the minorities and youth were cruevent was moved to after the cial voting blocs in this election election with the goal of focusing that were underestimated by on minority turnout in the elec- more than a few pundits. As tion and possible next steps for the Asian-American coordinathese groups. Speaking on the tor for the Obama field office panel were Tiffany Tsai, a fourth- on the Corner, Tsai herself was year Foreign Affairs and Linguis- shocked at the turnout, espetics major who worked on the cially because of attitudes of Barack Obama campaign here certain communities during in Charlottesville, and Jeremy voter registration drives. Tsai Moody, a second-year graduate also stressed the importance of student in Tibetan Studies who is the Asian-American vote given
the fact that although only 41 policy. Both Tsai and Moody percent of Asians claim to be cautioned that if the Republican Democratic, more than 73 per- Party does not account for this cent voted for Obama this past demographic change affecting its policy platform, it could see election. not just losses A main theme that “Both panelists agreed that in presidential but both panelthe minority and youth vote elections, congressional ists and the were crucial voting blocs ones as well. audience disS i n c e cussed was in this election that were this panel the alienation underestimated by more occurred of minority than a few pundits.” after the elecgroups by the tion, many in Republican the audience Party. Moody, who has autism, reflected on the questioned the role of the minordismay that much of the dis- ity electorate in the off years. abled community felt upon Mitt Both panelists stressed the Romney’s 47 percent comment importance of staying educated regarding freeloaders, covering and voting in the congressional those in their community. Many and primary elections, as well. voters in a variety of minority While some of the changes from populations remarked feeling the political parties have to come isolated by the party, whether from the national leadership, it was because of its attitudes students questioned what could regarding women’s rights, LGBTQ be done in the meantime to get rights, immigration or foreign the minority student voice out,
specifically in Charlottesville. Moody suggested that student groups generate questionnaires on issues important to their communities to hand out to candidates to increase their voice on a local scale. Many of those in the audience wanted to continue this discussion and education of issues beyond just the election cycle. “We can’t just be politically active every four years for this democracy to work. It’s about staying active and informed, and about educating yourself and others through discussions such as this….” Shaikh said. “The importance of this event is to start the conversation between different diverse communities and hopefully tonight’s discussion will be a great foundation for that,” Abdelrazaq said. Zain Shaikh is the Chair of the MRC and Erin Abdelrazaq is the Vice-Chair of the MRC.
Break a leg
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A fourth-year trustee advises students to take more helpings of books this Thanksgiving
OMORROW, almost all of us fun times await all. Finally, the will leave C’ville and head weekend is spent kicking off somewhere to celebrate the holiday season by buying a my all-time favorite holiday, tree and putting up the lights. Without a doubt, this WednesThanksgiving. I don’t know day through if it’s the turkey, Sunday you will the football or the STEPHANIE DODGE be eating, shopfamily; but there’s GUEST VIEWPOINT ping, lounging, n o d ay q u i t e a s watching footidyllic as Thanksball and getting excited for the giving. The best is not only the won- holidays. What won’t you be derful day of Thanksgiving, but doing? Studying. I know you’re thinking, “Well, also the fact that it’s packaged into a week of joy. First, you not studying is sort of the point arrive home and start loung- of break.” I would agree with ing while planning out your you 100 percent in the cases of delicious meal on Thursday. Christmas and Spring Break. Then comes Black Friday, when But Thanksgiving can be tricky. Before we all leave on break, hordes of people will pack the stores in search of killer sales. the amount of work we have Whether you choose to join the coming looms over our heads. madness or enjoy the news sto- Somehow, though, the second ries that are sure to come out, we get home the smell of sweet
potatoes and turkey sinks in and conundrum. Just do a minimum all that work floats away. But amount of work over break. take this fourth year’s advice I’m not saying write up entire and don’t let that happen. Scary study guides for each exam. news flash: You only have two Just make sure you’re caught up in your weeks of reading and school left “After three solid years of work. If when you spending my Thanksgiving other you feel like get back to s c h o o l o n break book-less, maybe this g o i n g w i l d , maybe write Monday. is the year that I up an outline That’s a lot finally mature and for a paper. of papers start planning ahead.” Doing this to write in will not ruin two weeks. your break. That’s a lot of exams to study for in two Rather, it will enhance your weeks. It can be done; but, you last two weeks of the semester. won’t enjoy those two weeks at You want to be able to go out all. After the great week that is and enjoy tacky sweater parto come, the misery will just be ties. You want to go to all the Christmas-themed parties. If that much more shocking. Good news! There is some- you never open your school thing you can do to avoid this bag all of break, then it might
be a rocky road ahead. The real question will be if I follow my own advice. After three solid years of spending my Thanksgiving break bookless, maybe this is the year that I finally mature and start planning ahead. I am turning 22 after all. So if you want to take a crusty old fourth year’s advice, here it is: The best holiday of the year is coming. Enjoy every moment of it. But after your turkeycoma recedes, crack open those books for an hour. That will mean an hour of relaxation or partying when you really need it at some point in those last two weeks. Happy Thanksgiving and have a great break! Stephanie Dodge is a fourth-year trustee.
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