University of Virginia Library

Honor, Draft Subjects
Of Debate, Discussion

A debate on the merits and
demerits of the Honor System
between a former chairman of the
Honor Committee and a Student
Council representative will be held
at 8 p.m. tomorrow in Gilmer Hall
auditorium.

Sponsored by the University
Forum, the debate is an effort to
give first-year men and the
University community a different
perspective of the Honor System.
The Forum will also present a panel
discussion on "Alternatives to
ROTC" at 8 p.m. Thursday in the
auditorium of Gilmer Hall.

Howard Trent, former chairman
of the Honor Committee during the
1966-1967 academic year and a
second-year man at the medical
school here, will debate Pieter
Schenkkan, a Student Council
representative and vice-chairman of
counselors for the first-year
dormitories.

Moderator of the debate will be
Donald Bellomy, a member of the
steering committee of the
University Forum. The debate is
the first program sponsored by the
group, which was formed last
spring. The organization was
originated "to open new avenues of
communication among the faculty
and students on both a social and
intellectual plane," a spokesman
said.

Five topics will be discussed by
the debators: can an Honor System
be really effective? Is the one
penalty system fair? Should there
exist lesser degrees of punishment
for any infringements on the Honor
System?

Other topics of debate will be:
does the idea of an Honor System
really reflect the honor of the
students in the context of a large
and growing University instead of a
small college atmosphere?

The two debators will also
discuss the orientation program of
first-year students and graduate
students and if the benefits a
student will accrue by upholding
the precepts of the Honor System
offset other alternatives.

The final question of the debate
concerns the spirit of the Honor
System. Is spirit or fear the reason
for the frankness and trust between
students and faculty?

A question and answer period
will follow the debate.

The panel discussion on ROTC
and the draft will include Stanley
Makielski, professor of Government
and Foreign Affairs, and
representatives of the
Charlottesville Draft Counseling
Group and the Charlottesville Draft
Opposition Group, Tentative plans
call for a member of Vista or the
Peace Corps to participate. Charles
C. Calhoun, former editor-in-chief
of The Cavalier Daily and a
first-year law student here, will
moderate the discussion.