AUSTIN, Texas—An honor code outlining standards of integrity and civility has been adopted by The University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Larry R. Faulkner, president of the university, said today (April 29).
The honor code, written in consultation with several student, faculty and staff representatives, will go into effect immediately. Faulkner will appoint a committee of faculty, staff, and student leaders to find appropriate ways to integrate the honor code into the life of the university. He said steps will be taken to introduce the code at summer orientation for new students and to make it more broadly known on campus at the start of the fall semester.
The code reads:
“The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community.”
Faulkner said the adoption of an honor code has been suggested for many years by various organizations within the university. Momentum gathered during the 2002-2003 academic year, especially in the hands of student leadership.
“This is an important achievement, and I congratulate our community for coming together in this process for the clear purpose of improving the quality of our academic and social enterprise,” Faulkner noted in a letter to members of the university’s Presidential Student Advisory Committee, University Leadership Council, Faculty Council Executive Committee and Staff Council Executive Committee that helped provide wording for the honor code. He said all these groups have accepted the final text.
“I thank all who have made this code a reality, and I look forward to working with all who will be involved in implementation,” Faulkner said.
Faulkner gave his support to an honor code in his address on the State of the University last October when he said, “My interest in an honor code stems from my belief that we could become a much more powerful, much more useful university if we had a simple, effective means for reminding all of our members—students, staff, faculty—of their own interest in standards of integrity and civility. I do not seek, nor do I recommend an elaborate honor code with an attendant justice system and penalties for transgressions. Neither would I support any sort of required oath. One sound sentence, widely embraced, could do it—just a steady reminder that civility and integrity do have meaning and that there are legitimate expectations concerning these virtues within our university.”
Download the complete Report of the Honor Code Implementation Committee, 10 January 2005 (PDF, download Adobe Reader).
For more information contact: Robert D. Meckel, Office of Public Affairs, 512-475-7847.
