University of Virginia Library

Major Policy Statement
Announced By Clement

By Rod MacDonald
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Whitt Clement, Skull and
Keys candidate for President of
the College, said yesterday the
chairman of the Honor Committee
should "avoid weakening
his stature by over involvement
in controversial issues unrelated
to the continued operation
of the Honor Committee."

Responding to Charles Murdock's
statement that the President
of the College should take
the lead in fighting University
racial injustice, Mr. Clement
said "I think such political
activity demeans the position
of chairman, and infringes on
the role of spokesman filled by the
Student Council President."

In his first major policy statement
since beginning his campaign,
Mr. Clement also referred to several
other aspects of the system, including
procedural rights, the rights of
the accused, and overcoming the
"mysteries inherent in the system."
The statement was as follows:
"It is my firm belief that the Honor
System can continue its vitality on
two basic assumptions:

To successfully promulgate these
assumptions there are several areas
of concentration which deserve the
utmost emphasis in the next year.
A. RIGHTS OF THE ACCUSED:
Increase the safeguards of the
accused to afford maximum protection
without dehumanizing the trial
procedures.

1. Stricter guidelines for initial
advisement of rights.

2. Provision for a procedurally
and substantively complete record
of allegations made available
to the accused.

3. Inclusion of compulsory
process where applicable for the
benefit of the accused.

4. Application of acutely defined
and constitutionally
sound yet realistic rules of
evidence of committee proceedings.
B. COMMITTEE REVITALIZATION:

Infuse a new spirit in the Honor
Committee commensurate with the
current mores of the student body.

1. Facilitate and solidify the
process of continuous reform
within the committee.

2. Gauge the potentiality of a
rotating membership on the
committee to insure constant
momentum and renewed ideas
of student opinion.

3. Higher utilization of existing
facilities such as the Institutional
Analysis office and exploration
of subjective methods
to accurately determine student
consensus.

4. Institution of a permanent
law school advisory committee
to assist in legal analysis and to
insure the immediate counseling
and continued representation
for the accused.

C. MYSTERY INHERENT IN THE
SYSTEM:

Eliminate the popularly conceived
veil of secrecy which enshrouds
Honor Commit proceedings.

1. Make more effective employment
of public announcements
of dismissal to inform and
educate the student body.

2. Continuously make available,
information concerning trial
procedures and findings without
jeopardizing the sanctity of
individual rights.

D. DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT:
Insure that the individual who
serves as Chairman of the Honor
Committee limits his domain of
activity to the scope of the Honor
System.

1. Avoid weakening the stature
of the Chairman of the Honor
Committee by over involvement
in controversial issues unrelated
to the continued operation of
the Honor System.

Whittington W. Clement

Responds To Murdock

2. Refrain from an undefined
extension of activity into the
realm of generalized University
reform which would unwarrantably
infringe upon other
student representative bodies
whose established functions are
directed toward these problems.

Mr. Clement then elaborated on
several of the ideas expressed above
in an interview with The Cavalier
Daily.

Regarding the facts surrounding
a case that might be released, he
mentioned "the type of lie, if the
charge was lying would be a good
example of material to publish. We
should try to make clear what the
Honor Committee thinks the students
want to be considered dishonorable,
producing some sort of
rapport with the students. We have
to protect the names of the
students involved, of course."

The biggest issue the new
Chairman will face, he stressed, is
the problem of scope. "I'd hope
that this year's Honor Committee
would have time to resolve the issue
this year, but because of the work
involved they have not been able
to. The new Honor Committee will
have to reach a decision.

"Mr. Murdock said he thought
the system should only apply to
classroom situations. I think the