Union College gets it right with academic honor code

Publication Date

The Daily Gazette

For the first in nearly a century, the College again has an honor code.

Union adopted an honor code in the early part of the 20th century, but students and faculty voted to drop it in 1925 after concerns that students weren't accurately reporting all instances of cheating. Subsequent efforts over the years to reinstitute an honor code failed for various reasons.

Beginning in 2006, the debate over an honor code at Union was revived and in 2011, groups representing faculty, students and administrators decided that an honor code would support the College’s mission and vision of developing students as engaged, innovative and ethical contributors to society.

The Daily Gazette recently published an editorial lauding the College for its efforts.