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 Many colleges in the United States have honor codes, all with different systems of leadership and enforcement.  The honor codes at Bryn Mawr and Haverford are not just a promise not to cheat or steal; they are an integral part of social and academic life.  I wanted to compare the bi-co honor codes to the honor codes at other colleges.  I chose to examine the honor systems at Middlebury College, William and Mary, and Davidson College.  The honor codes at Middlebury and Davidson are similar to the Bryn Mawr honor code because they give students the freedom to self-schedule their exams and take them without a proctor.  The William and Mary honor code and that of Middlebury are similar because they both focus on academic integrity.  I found that this is the most common type of honor code in colleges across the United States with a student run committee to oversee it.  The Davidson and Bi-co honor codes are more unique because they incorporate a social honor code.  This binds the students to conduct themselves with integrity in all aspects of their lives, which creates a different atmosphere on these campuses than at other institutions.       

The honor code is a tradition at William and Mary that started in 1736.  The goal of the honor code is to build a community of trust.  Each student pledges, “not to lie, cheat or steal, either in [his or her] academic or personal life.”  Students report violations of the honor code to the student run honor counsels (Councils).  The Middlebury honor code was enacted in 1965 and is also focused on “intellectual honesty”.  Both student and faculty members serve on the judicial boards.  Examinations are not proctored and are self-scheduled (Honesty Statement).  At Davidson College, there is an academic and social honor code that was formed in 1837. The academic and social honor codes work together to create “an atmosphere of openness and mutual trust.”  Tests are also not proctored and are self-scheduled, and the Honor Council is student run (Honor Code).

Works Cited

"Academic Honesty Statement." Middlebury College. Web. 10 Nov. 2009. <http://www.middlebury.edu>.

"Emphasizing the Honor Code." Davidson. Web. 15 Nov. 2009. <http://www3.davidson.edu/cms/x17371.xml>.

 "Honor Code & Councils." William and Mary. Web. 15 Nov. 2009. <http://www.wm.edu>.