The University of Virginia's College at Wise Honor System (new constitution)
The University of Virginia's College at Wise adopted an Honor System in 1956 under which all students pledge to cooperate in acting honestly and honorably. The Honor System is administered by the Honor Court composed of two (2) representatives from each class. Upper-class representatives are elected by the student body each spring, and freshman representatives are elected after the start of the fall semester. It is the job of the Honor Court to enforce the Honor System and to adjudicate violations.
We, the students of The University of Virginia's College at Wise, to ensure trust among ourselves, faculty, staff and the community at large, do hereby institute this Honor System at The University of Virginia's College at Wise. It is to be understood that this system is student-administered and serves as a vital component of the standards of conduct. The Honor System is designed to address inappropriate behavior arising in the academic realm of student life. The University of Virginia's College at Wise Honor System (hereinafter referred to as the Honor System) is established in accordance with these articles.
1 Ratified by the UVA Wise student body on 01 May 2023
The authority of the Honor System is vested in The University of Virginia's College at Wise Honor Court (hereinafter referred to as the Court) by the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia.
A plurality of votes is necessary for election of each representative to the Court.
The Chairperson shall be elected by a majority vote of the existing Court members in April. The Chairperson shall be a returning member of the Court. The Chairperson shall serve a twelve (12) month term.
A quorum shall consist of four (4) of the voting members of the Court.
Advocates, Counselors, their assistants, and members of the Court must complete adequate training before being allowed to represent the Honor System. When a temporary Court is empaneled due to an appeal, Art. V Sect. 2, it shall also complete adequate training before the hearing.
The Honor Court Advisor Committee shall be appointed by the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Its role is to work in conjunction with the Court, the Provost, and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs to ensure proper training of the Court and to advise on questions of procedure.
The Honor System classifies offenses into one of three categories (Class I - III) depending upon the severity of the offense and the circumstances of its occurrence:
Each classification carries sanctions which may be imposed on individuals found responsible for violating the Honor System. The sanctions associated with each class of offense are as follows:
Class I: Honor System probation and 1-10 hours of College service.
Class II: Honor System probation and 10-25 hours of College service.
Class III: Honor System probation and one semester suspension (excluding summer), two semesters of suspension (excluding summer), or expulsion from the College.
Amendments to this constitution may be proposed by any student of The University of Virginia's College at Wise. The Court must approve any new amendments by a majority vote. Upon the approval of the Court, the amendments will be linked on the College website homepage for at least ten (10) consecutive school days prior to the scheduled election day. On the scheduled election day, The University of Virginia's College at Wise student body shall vote on the amendment(s) by secret ballot. The amendment(s) shall be adopted if ratified by a simple majority of the voting students of The University of Virginia's College at Wise.
The ratification and establishment of this Constitution shall require approval by not less than a simple majority of The University of Virginia's College at Wise student body voting.
This Constitution shall succeed the Constitution of the Honor System written in 1979 and all subsequent versions and shall take effect the day after the end of the semester in which it was ratified by the student body of the University of Virginia’s College at Wise.