University of Virginia Library

Honor Committee Adds
Two Procedural Changes

In addition to the procedural change allowing an accused student
the right to a public trial, the Honor Committee has initiated two
additional procedural changes and more clearly defined two other
procedures which were in effect, but not clearly stated in the
Committee literature.

The Honor Committee has replaced the dismissal statement formerly
affixed to a student's record with the simple term "dismissed." The
Committee felt that the previous statement was unduly harsh and that
it went out of its way to inform parties receiving a student's transcript
that this student had been dishonorably dismissed. This in no way
implies that the Honor Committee will no longer properly inform
inquiring parties of the nature of the dismissal.

Should an individual receiving the transcript request an explanation
of the term "dismissed," the Registrar's Office will furnish that
individual with a copy of a statement by the Honor Committee
explaining exactly what the term means and explaining the nature of
the University's Honor System. Should additional information
concerning the nature of the offense be requested, the request will be
forwarded by the registrar to the Honor Committee for appropriate
action. The Honor Committee will disclose specific details of a case
only at the request of the dismissed student.

The second procedural change is designed to insure an accused
student proper notification of the accusation. In the event that after
accusation by the accusers the nature of an accusation is unclear to the
accused, he can request that the counsel for the accusers present him
with a factual statement summarizing the accusation.

The statement is not to be treated as placing technical limitations on
the evidence or accusation that may be presented at the trial. The
statement shall be a plain, concise, and definite written statement of
the essential facts constituting the accusation. Error in the statement
shall not be grounds for mis-trial if the error or omission did not
mislead the accused to his prejudice. The statement may be amended at
any time if substantial rights of the accused are not prejudiced.

Aside from these changes, the Honor Committee has sought to
clearly state extant procedures which were not explicitly stated in its
literature.

If a trial is in progress at midnight, an accused has, if he so chooses,
the right that the proceedings be recessed, to be reconvened the next
day for completion.

Also, if in the circumstances of a particular case an accused or
accuser in good faith believes that a material witness, i.e. one whose
absence would be prejudicial to his presentation, will not be available to
testify, the accused or accuser may request the Committee's assistance
in securing the witness. If all efforts to procure such witness(es) are
unsuccessful, the trial shall be postponed until such witness is available
- unless by stipulation of testimony between accusers and accused any
prejudice arising from the absence is obviated.

Should questions arise as to the good faith of the claim of prejudice,
the Committee shall hold a hearing for determination of the validity of
the claim. Any requests in regard to an unavailable witness should be
made to the Committee at least two days prior to trial.