University of Virginia Library

Increased Population

"I believe, for the most
part, students continue to find
the Honor System well worth
preserving," he continued.
"Actually, with the increased
student population, the
importance of the Honor
System looms much   larger
since it is one of the bonds of
civility which holds off the
depersonalization found at so
many other state universities."

Mr. Elzinga's comments,
however, touch upon the
Honor System's principle
threat–expansion. That word
with its myriad implications
has become the chief bugbear
for nearly everyone connected
with the University. But no
stronger argument for carefully
planned growth can be made
than the contention that the
disappearance of community
automatically implies the death
of the Honor System.

Outlining the task of future
Honor Committees, Mr.
Peerman noted that the bulk of
time and effort in the past two
years had been spent in
detailed study of scope and
sanction. "Now the
Committees are going to have
to turn their attention to the
more practical concerns of
communicating the Honor
System both as something of
value to the individual and to
the University community."

Increasing numbers of
students not provided with
adequate facilities are the crux
of the problem.

"You can't fabricate
community," Mr. Peerman
stressed, "If the University is
sincere in its desire that the
Honor System remain then it
will have to face the fact that
some sacrifices must be made.

"We're simply going to have
to provide residential facilities
for the students. It is
impossible to maintain any
kind of community for
students who feel no more
profound relationship to the
University than that of simply
attending classes."