University of Virginia Library

'People' Ask Change,
Support Dual Penalty

By MARK HOGREFE

Photo By Jay Adams

"The People": Leslie Joffa, Pam Slater

Discuss Platform With Students In McCormick Road Dorm Area

First-year women Leslie Joffa and Pam
Slater are running for College president
and vice president, advocating a dual
penalty for the Honor System.

They propose a semester expulsion for
those not found guilty "of gross misuse
of the system."

They oppose the graduated penalty,
however, because in their words, "It
would make this a complicated judicial
system. It should still be an Honor Code
and not a penal system."

One student asked if there was a
difference between premeditated and
non-premeditated cheating.

Miss Joffa answered that "it is possible
to cheat in a pressure situation without
ever having intended to misuse the Honor
System."

"People are not perfect all the time,"
she added.

"Don't you think that dividing student
opinion would weaken the system?"
asked another.

Miss Slater responded,

"What makes U.Va. a kind of fantasy
world where one can get kicked out for
stealing a bag of potato chips?"

"There are a lot of people who
support the dual sanction," she added.

Several students stated that what they
called the "Bagby Poll," initiated last
spring by the Honor Committee under
Tom Bagby's chairmanship, was too
vague and ambiguous to be meaningful

Students asked the candidates their
opinions on the proposed dual sanction
referendum to be voted on in the same
election.

They answered that in effect, the
referendum was their entire platform.

"We support the holding of the
referendum, but don't expect to win if it
is passed." A yes-vote on the referendum
question would express support for the
existing single-sanction of expulsion.

Misses Joffa and Slater call for a
second penalty of expulsion only for the
semester of the trial.

They were also asked how their
proposal would affect the number of
violations.

"There should certainly be more
leniency, in the system" Miss Slater
added. "If violations increased," she said,
"it would reflect a basic flaw in the
system and its effect upon the student
body."

"Trials for Honor offenses are not
open to the public. Only 20 people are
admitted to the trials," she stated.