University of Virginia Library

After reading Mr. Thomas
Meyer's letter (February 24)
concerning the Honor System,
I felt compelled to reply to
what I feel are some
misconceptions on his part.

Mr. Meyer attacks the
system and Honor Committee
as dictatorial, and stifling. He
adds that the system "leans on
history and the memory of
Thomas Jefferson". Indeed,
the system is historic, dating to
1842, but to charge that it
"leans on history" is
unfounded.

Since its beginning as a
system for use in administering
final exams the Honor System
as run by the students has
undergone many changes. It
has been expanded to include
lying, stealing, or cheating at
any time.

In recent years students felt
the need to limit the bounds of
the System to Albemarle
County and to exclude lying
for liquor as an offense. The
System is extremely
democratic in nature and
certainly always flexible to
change.

Mr. Meyer's second
condemnation of the System is
of the penalty. The Honor
System here at the University
is indeed unique. It is based on
the assumption that a
community of students can
organize and maintain a code
of honor in dealings among
themselves, with professors, or
in the community.

The whole system rests on
the spirit in which the students
support the Code. One can
accept another's word, feel
confident of due academic
achievement and have no fear
of theft. Under our system a
violation of Honor is
considered an act against the
Student Body itself.

The single sanction of
expulsion is based then not on
inhuman punishment but
rather on the belief that those
who violate their fellow
students faith have no place in
this community.

I regret Mr. Meyer's
confusion with the system but
would hope that in contrasting
our Honor System with others
he would feel the sense of
community that exists here
and the pride we have in the
Honor System.