Honor Code
Honor Code | Honor Code Violations | Social Conduct
Honor Code
Established at the request of the student body in 1921, the Skidmore College Honor Code defines the guiding principles of honesty, respect, and integrity that should inform all choices and behavior patterns in the Skidmore academic and social communities. Each student, in matriculating at Skidmore College (or engaging in any Skidmore-sponsored activity or program as a nonmatriculated student), agrees to the following code:
I hereby accept membership in the Skidmore College community and, with full realization of the responsibilities inherent in membership, do agree to adhere to honesty and integrity in all relationships, to be considerate of the rights of others, and to abide by the College regulations.
It is the responsibility of every student and every member of the faculty and staff, both by example and by instruction, to encourage students to embrace the standards of the Honor Code. If a student believes that another student may have violated the Honor Code, the student is honor-bound to speak to the student who is suspected to have committed the violation, and if there is reason to believe that a violation may have occurred, to report that student to the Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs (DoS/VPSA) or other appropriate member of the staff or faculty. (Note: All references to the DoS/VPSA include the Dean or their designee.) If a member of the faculty is aware that someone has committed an academic violation, faculty legislation requires that the faculty member report the violation to the Associate Dean of Faculty (ADoF or to Director of Academic Advising) with responsibility for student academic affairs. It is only through a combination of ethical commitment, guidance, and sanctions that the Honor Code can become a living set of principles for our community.
As one regular manifestation of the Honor Code at Skidmore, at the end of each examination students must write and sign the following statement:
I have not witnessed any wrongdoing, nor have I personally violated any conditions of the Skidmore College Honor Code, while taking this examination.
This statement, provided by the instructor and transcribed by each student, should be included in every exam. Failure on the part of a student to write and sign this statement makes it incumbent upon the faculty member responsible to speak to the student about a possible Honor Code violation.
Honor Code Violations
The goal of the Honor Code is to help all members of the Skidmore community develop as individuals as well as to assure the growth, safety, and ethical conduct of the community as a whole. While this handbook focuses, as is appropriate, on student responsibilities and rights, the faculty and administration of the College also pledge to live by the principles of the Honor Code and to honor a host of professional standards as well. The faculty and staff are, however, generally answerable to codes and processes defined by the faculty and administration of the College, not to the hearing processes defined in this handbook.
Social Conduct
Basic College regulations are vital to community welfare, student safety, and supporting
high standards of ethical integrity. Skidmore College expects all members of the community
to conduct themselves in a manner supportive of its educational mission. The College
considers violations of these regulations as breaches of the College Honor Code that
may lead to various sanctions, up to and including expulsion. In addition to following
basic College regulations, community members are also obligated to observe the laws
and ordinances of local, state, and federal governments. The College may press charges
against community members engaged in criminal activities on or off the campus. All
currently enrolled Skidmore students are required to report any circumstance that
results in their arrest (including but not limited to noncustodial or field arrests)
to the Office of Residential Life within 72 hours after release.
Respect for the person, property, ideas, and perspectives of others and a commitment
to intellectual and personal growth are values essential to membership in the College
community. The policies listed below are illustrative only, not exhaustive; the College
has the right and obligation to act upon conduct not in accord with the informing
principles of the Honor Code or Code of Social Conduct, whether or not expressly proscribed
below.
Students are provided a copy of the Student Handbook annually in the form of a link
on the Skidmore College website. Students are responsible for having read and abiding
by the provisions of the expectations for academic integrity and the Code of Social
Conduct.