University of Virginia Library

Contemporaneity Stressed

With coherence and
contemporaneity as their
objective, these groups
basically rethought both the
Blue Sheet's explanatory and
procedural sections "with the
view that it would be read by
those who had no prior contact

with the Honor System." (The
Cavalier Daily, May 10, 1972).

The committee is currently
completing a mailing of the
new Blue Sheet to all
upperclass students.

A poll of Charlottesville
merchants initiated this fall,
sought to determine the extent
of their reliance upon the
University's Honor System.
"The poll showed that of the
62 businessmen questioned, 89
per cent were aware of the
Honor System and 83 per cent
felt that their check cashing
policy reflected their faith in
it." (The Cavalier Daily,
December 6, 1972).

Student opinion is, of
course, not only the most
important but the most
difficult to gauge. Mr. Shea's
memorandum on scope change
included the recommendation
that a limited survey of student
opinion be taken each year as
part of the registration process.

Undoubtedly, scientifically
designed polls similar to that
administered in 1971 will be
used by future committees as
the most accurate measuring
stick. But there are dangers in
overusing surveys. Assoc. Law
Prof. Charles H. Whitebread
commented, "Any system
suffers as much from
over-examination as from
under-examination." He
warned against "trying to make
the system too reactive."

Mr. Botsford stressed that
the Honor System should not
be "as volatile as student
opinion."

It is incumbent upon the
System and the committees
which administer it from year
to year to remain flexible,
sensitive to trends in student
attitudes yet not mercurial.