Rotunda vol 67, no 10 nov 10, 1987

Page 1

Longwood College

X

Farmville Virginia

ROTUNDA

SIXTY-SEVENTH YEAR

Honor — Why Bother? By KRISHNA SMALL "Honor Why Bother" is the slogan for this year's Honor Awareness Week, which begins November 9 with an information table in front of Blackwell Dining Hall. The idea behind the slogan, as explained by Michael Clements, Chair of Honor Board, is to make students aware that the honor system operates for their benefit, and if they believe in it they need to support it. "[The slogan] is to challenge the students to tell us why the system should continue. We don't want to see a blatant waste of student money. We don't want to spend their money on the honor system if they don't want it. A vote of 'no' from the students will say, 'no, we can't accept the responsibility of following a code of high morals and ethics.'" The vote Clements is referring to is the student's opportunity to vote in an opinion poll on Friday, November 13 in the Rotunda. The poll's purpose is to test the students' support of the honor system and prove to the SGA and all those who are skeptical that students do honor the system and do want to be governed by it. Clements wanted to pose that question to the students in a referendum, but met with resistance from the SGA who feared students would be uninformed and wouldn't understand the repercussions of not having an honor system. Unfortunately, some students may not fully understand the ramifications of abolishing the honor code. Most notable of the changes would be the loss of due process. No longer would students have the privilege of defending themselves in a hearing if they are accused of lying, cheating, stealing or plagiarism. If a teacher believed he had caught a student cheating, the teacher would have the final say in the matter. If he chose to fail that student, there would be no recourse for the student to take. "Not having an honor system takes away the student's ability to be responsible for their own action: it puts them back in high school." Commented Michael Clements. Interested students can hear teachers' opinions of this issue on November 12 at 1:30 in the Red, White, and Green Rooms in Lankford. Another aspect of the honor code that may be less obvious is its impact on education. "The presence of an honor system is an intergal part of the educational process. Students will not learn because they won't have to. Without an honor system, cheating and plagiarism could become prevalent and the easy way to get good grades. But where will students be in the workplace without the skills and knowledge they could have acquired in school?" asks Laura Landers Sergeant at Arms for the Honor Board. Clements agrees that putting the existence of the honor system in the students' hands is risky, but he believes it is well worth it. He feels the turn-out will be stronger than the usual 10 to 15% of the student population who vote in other school elections. Clements hopes the vote will be positive and show the faculity that their opinion of students not supporting the system is wrong."

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1987

NUMBER TEN

"What do you think Longwood would be like without an honor system?" "I wouldn't want to think of Longwood without an honor system. What would the world be like without personal honor? We are a community of scholars...what would we do as an educational environment without personal honor?...it instills the value of honor in our students." - Dr. Jocks "I have worked in schools without honor systems and can see that those that operate under an honor system make everyones' life go better. I enjoy knowing I can instutionally trust students, if I had to verify everything it would make my job three times harder. I believe things that may sound peculiar because of the honor code." - Joe McGill, Director of Student Services "Without the honor system, a degree from Longwood would be worthless, what would it be based on? Everyone would know it wasn't worked for." - Renee Smith "The teachers would have the final say if they believed you had cheated. It's hard to take a test with the added pressure of a teacher watching you to make sure you're not cheating, it makes me nervous." - Sofia Pandazides "If people would pay attention to it, it would work." - Michelle Scudder "The honor code makes people think twice before they break the rules." - Denise Braswell "It would probably be the same as it is now, because no one pays attention to the honor code, except me!" - Jon Connell

Ricky Says 'Yes' Yes, Ricky Otey will be running for the position of SGA President once again. His decision was announced in a press conference this past week.

"At first all hell would break loose and everyone would take advantage of it. Right now, as a whole, the system is not honored by students. If you take it away there would be pandamonium." Cathy Gaughran "It would not be better or worse. It would be more efficient. Teachers could immediately deal with problems and there would not be a need for so many meetings. We would lose the opportunity to develop important parts of the students' education, which include being responsible for your own actions, and taking responsibility for the actions of your peers, though. If we want a police state we need efficiency. If we want a college we need people to learn to be responsible." - Dr. Donald Stuart VP Academic Affairs "I don't think much about the honor system because I don't think it is being abused so severely" - Jeff Symanski

Gottlieb To Speak Tonight At 8 p.m. One of America's newest and most unique speakers to surface entrepreneur and businesswoman who has inspired and motivated audiences across America. in decades is Phyllis-Golden Gottlieb. Ms. Gottlieb is currently the Director of Comedy Series DevelMiss Gottlieb will be on campus today, Tuesday, Nov. 10. After opment for Lorimar-Telepictures in Los Angeles. Her career as- spending time with various student organizations, she will be cension to this prestigious position was not the overnight success speaking in the Lankford Gold Room from 8 to 10 p.m. Her topic is story of which movies are made, but a real-life pursuit of personal "Breaking Down the Doors to Hollywood." There is no admittance fee, and all are urged to attend. tenacity and perseverance. Phyllis Golden-Gottlieb is an incredible and spirited individual,

. . . And these are the reporters who were there to get the scoop! PHOTO BY KGBiRT SMITH


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Rotunda vol 67, no 10 nov 10, 1987 by Greenwood Library - Issuu