I suppose having an honor code is a good idea, but I can't help but wonder what it says about the state of our society that this sort of thing is even necessary? We can't refrain from cheating, nor can we treat others as we'd want to be treated without a policy codifying both of these points? We can't do the right thing without having penalties attached to not doing the right thing?
For the first time in its history, the University of Texas at Austin will require students to pledge to follow an honor code that calls for them to be respectful of their peers and honest in their academics.
The policy at the nation's largest university comes as cheating and plagiarism continue to pose problems on college campuses. In recent years, more universities have joined the about 200 U.S. colleges using honor codes to enforce ethical standards among students and staff.
Administrators say honor codes are increasingly important in persuading students not to cheat, especially those who might feel pressured to make good grades or be tempted to steal information from Internet sites.
"In a competitive environment with intense and complex information, it's easy to forget those things," said UT president Larry Faulkner. "This is a reminder."
Student leaders at UT say they've wanted an honor code for years. But school officials began pushing for one as well in 2001 after five students were caught cheating on exams and essays within a two-week period.
On it's face, I have no real problem with the concept of an honor code. Honor, after all, is a good thing, and it should be promoted. I do find it sad, though, that the academic and social environment seems to have deteriorated to such a degree that it a written honor code was felt to be necessary.
I'm not going to go on my "we're going to hell in a handbasket" rant, because that would miss the point. It does seem to me, though, that a generation of children has grown up lacking a very fundamental moral foundation. It's a couple of pretty simple concepts, really: "cheating is bad" and "treat others as you would wish to be treated". It would seem that somewhere along the line, parents have stopped teaching their children these things- or perhaps the children are simply following the example set by their parents.
