The Honor System

Constitution and Bylaws of the Honor System of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy

Table of Contents

ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE

1. The name of the organization which shall administer the Honor Code of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy shall be the Honor Council.
2. The purposes of the Honor Council shall be
   1. to foster an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect within the school community;
   2. to promote and encourage honesty among the whole student body;
   3. to decide guilt or innocence in all cases which involve alleged violations of the Honor Code;
   4. to make recommendations to the Headmaster

ARTICLE II: THE HONOR CODE

As a responsible member of the student body of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, I realize that everything I do must be above reproach. I will be honest with myself and with others. I will refrain from all acts of cheating, lying and stealing, and I will not tolerate those acts from others. I will actively encourage my fellow students to follow the highest standards of integrity.
I understand that all students enrolled at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy give their expressed and implied consent to be governed by the Honor Code.
If I am accused of violating any provision of the Honor Code, I fully understand that I will be tried by the Honor Council and subject to consequences.

ARTICLE III: THE HONOR PLEDGE

All work is done under the Honor Code. The student's name on an assignment turned in indicates that he or she claims the work as his own.
The following Honor Pledge shall be written or implied on all written work done by Nansemond-Suffolk Academy students:
"On my honor, I have neither given nor received any unauthorized help on this assignment, nor am I aware of any breach of the Honor Code which I shall not immediately report."

ARTICLE IV: HONOR CODE VIOLATIONS

1. LYING: to create, or attempt to create, a false or misleading impression by making untrue or misrepresentative statements, oral or written, intended to deceive. Lying includes maintaining silence, or failing to immediately correct a situation when a student is confronted with, or aware of, a known lie, falsehood, or incorrect, untruthful, or partially truthful information. For the accused to lie and/or withhold information from the Honor Council in regard to a case will constitute a separate violation of the Honor Code and may result in a more severe consequence.
2. CHEATING: to intentionally distort or represent someone else's work as one's own without a teacher's authorization to do so, or willfully use unauthorized material during a quiz, test, examination or allow another student to use one's work as his/her own. Cheating may consist of any of the following offenses:
   1. Copying involves the willful use of (a) one's own material, (b) another's material (c) crib notes, (d) the textbook or (e) class notes during a quiz, a test, a paper, an examination, a speech, a project, a laboratory assignment, or on any homework or workbook assignment without the teacher's authorization to do so. Also included is the unauthorized electronic storage or transfer of material such as through unauthorized use of calculators or computer disks. Any attempt to copy one's own or another's material without the teacher's authorization is cheating, even if the student gains no advantage from the attempt.
   2. Unauthorized collaboration is working with another person or persons in the execution of a test, examination, paper, oral presentation, report, laboratory report, or any homework or workbook assignment without authorization to do so. Included herein is the unauthorized exchange of information retrieved electronically, such as material downloaded from the Internet. Except in those situations when joint effort is encouraged or permitted by the teacher, all work must be completed independently and in its entirety by each student. For cooperative work to be acceptable under the Honor Code, the teacher must specifically make such an assignment. Otherwise, the student is to assume that he or she must work individually. Individual work not only precludes students from working together, but parents, siblings, other teachers, peer counselors, and tutors, etc. are also not permitted to provide any assistance at all.
   3. Plagiarism is the intentional or unintentional appropriation of the language, ideas, and/or thoughts of another author and the representation of this material as one's own work. At any grade level, such material submitted to the Spectrum or to any other publication or contest in which the student represents Nansemond-Suffolk Academy will be treated as a serious violation of the Honor Code. However, the special case of plagiarism in junior and senior research papers will be handled through a three-step process described in Article VII:7. Members of the First Review Board and the Plagiarism Council are listed under Article IX:6. Where appearing throughout the Honor Code, "research paper" refers to any term paper, report, research paper, etc. that an eleventh or twelfth grade student authors and submits as his or her own work.
      1. The seriousness of academic dishonesty and ways to avoid plagiarism will be addressed in detail in tenth grade English.
      2. Thereafter and in all subjects, eleventh and twelfth graders are held accountable for plagiarism in their research papers.
      3. The procedures for addressing questions of plagiarism in research papers are described in Article VII:7.
      4. Any student found guilty of plagiarism must present himself to the Honor Council at a date to be arranged by the Faculty Adviser. He or she is subject to Honor Code consequences under Article V.
   4. Specific individual classroom policies concerning whether the student may use as study resources any tests and other graded material from previous years shall be established and explained by the individual teacher at the beginning of the course. Teachers shall also establish and explain collaboration guidelines or policies tailored to their course clarifying what work, if any, students are authorized to complete working with another person or persons. See Article III.
3. STEALING: The taking and/or withholding of property, or the attempt to take and/or withhold property, from the real owner with the intention of permanently or temporarily depriving the rightful owner of his/her possession.
   1. The taking and/or withholding, or the attempt to do so, of money, books, notebooks, clipboards, clothing (including gym clothes and shoes), lunches, computer disks and other personal articles from their rightful owner without authorization to do so is an Honor Code violation.
   2. The intentional removal of books, magazines, newspapers or other reference material from the school library without proper authorization is an Honor Code violation. Likewise, the deliberate removal of pages or portions of pages from library materials shall be considered theft of resources which belong to the entire student body.
   3. The removal of any materials or articles from any classroom, office or storage area without proper authorization by a teacher or administrator will be considered a violation of the Honor Code.

ARTICLE V: CONSEQUENCES

1. Recommendations of consequneces: Upon the Honor Council's finding of guilt based on the evidence presented at an Honor Council hearing and /or upon admission of guilt by the accused, the Honor Council will recommend consequences to the Headmaster, who will have the discretion to accept, alter or void the recommendation. The Honor Council recommendations will be forwarded based on a majority vote of Council members present. The Headmaster will communicate regularly with the Faculty Adviser to the Honor Council, who will inform the Council of his decision in each case.
2. Consequences: The following summarizes consequences for Honor Code violations that apply at all student grade levels.
   1. A phone call from the Headmaster to the parent(s) prior to a letter of notification, which is mailed from the Headmaster to the student's home;
   2. A conference held by the Headmaster with the student and, if necessary or desirable, the student's parents, and/or the teacher involved;
   3. For cheating convictions, a zero issued on the assignment in question;
   4. For plagiarism convictions, an essay on the importance of intellectual property;
   5. For stealing convictions, full financial restitution or restoration of property, the value of said property to be determined by the Headmaster.
   6. Prohibition from running for or holding a student leadership position of any class, group, team, squad, or any organization sponsored by Nansemond-Suffolk Academy [the phrase "school organization" is used as a general term representing any of the student organizations sponsored by Nansemond-Suffolk Academy]. The duration of this prohibition, to be determined by the Headmaster, may vary depending upon the recommendation of the Council;
   7. Prohibition from being recognized as an Honor Graduate at the graduation exercises;.
   8. Expulsion from Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, which must be approved by the Headmaster and the Head of School
   Note: In accordance with the procedures of the Nansemond-Suffolk Academy Chapter of the National Honor Society, an Honor Code violation prohibits application for membership in the National Honor Society for 9th grade students and above.

ARTICLE VI: REPORTING HONOR CODE VIOLATIONS

1. Any student who has committed, witnessed or been involved in any way in a breach of the Honor Code shall report the violation immediately to a teacher, the student Chair of the Honor Council, the Faculty Adviser of the Honor Council, or the Headmaster.
2. Likewise, it shall be the duty of any teacher, administrator or staff member who has witnessed or discovered evidence of or has strong reason to suspect an Honor Code violation to report the violation to the Faculty Adviser immediately.
3. After consulting with the Faculty Adviser, the teacher or administrator concerned will conduct a preliminary investigation of the incident by contacting those involved, and if he or she is of the opinion that an Honor Code violation did occur, then the situation will be referred to the Faculty Adviser. The teacher or administrator will inform the individuals involved if referral is made to the Faculty Adviser. If practical, both Faculty Advisers will then work together and conduct a detailed investigation of the situation to determine if it appears that an Honor Code violation has occurred. If the Faculty Advisers believe an Honor Code violation has occurred, the case will then be referred to the Honor Council and all parties to the case will be so informed.
4. In the case that a student or staff member brings evidence, the Faculty Adviser will confront the accused with the charge.
5. Alternatively, a student who has evidence that another student has violated the Honor Code may urge that student to turn him or herself in to the Faculty Adviser.
6. To fulfil his or her obligation as described in the Honor Pledge, a student who strongly suspects that the Honor Code has been breached shall discuss his or her concerns privately with the teacher or the Faculty Adviser. The teacher shall take action to prevent future breaches of the Code and may discuss his or her concerns with the Faculty Adviser. Whenever a suspected Honor Code violation is being investigated, or if a determination is made not to bring the issue before the Honor Council, the identity of any students involved (whether they be accuser, accused or witnesses) must remain confidential at all times.
7. A student, teacher or staff member who has directed a student suspected of having violated the Honor Code to report to the Faculty Adviser, shall follow up with the Faculty Adviser within 24 hours to ensure the accused has come forward.
8. Whether or not the accused has come forward to acknowledge the suspected violation the Faculty Adviser will meet with the accused as soon as possible, normally within 48 hours of the referral, to discuss the alleged offense. After this meeting, the Faculty Adviser has the discretion to dismiss the incident, or continue the investigation to determine if the case should or should not be referred to the Honor Council.

ARTICLE VII: HONOR COUNCIL PROCEDURE

1. The Faculty Advisers to the Honor Council will, to the best of their ability, investigate the alleged violation and determine if the case should be referred to a hearing before the Honor Council. The Faculty Advisers have discretion as to the manner in which the investigation will proceed. The investigation of each alleged violation shall be completed in a timely manner and as soon as possible after the first meeting with the accused, seeking approval from the Headmaster should an extended investigation period be required.
2. Once the Faculty Advisers have decided to refer a case to the Honor Council, the accused will be issued a form that notifies him or her of the charge. The accused will provide a written and signed statement of the situation on this form.
3. Once the Faculty Advisers have decided to refer a case to the Honor Council, the accuser and/or witnesses will be provided with a form that notifies them of the referral and seeks their written and signed statements of the situation. The accused and accuser/witnesses will have their forms signed by their parent(s) and returned to the issuing Faculty Adviser by 8:15 of the school day after the form was issued.
4. A student accused of an Honor Code violation is encouraged to enlist the assistance and advice of a trusted faculty member, his/her school adviser, or his/her Guidance Counselor. If requested by the accused, the Faculty Adviser of the Honor Council may provide direction in finding such support.
   1. If the student has decided to confer with a trusted faculty member concerning the alleged Honor Code violation, he/she may invite the faculty member to accompany him/her to the hearing and be present when the accused is before the council. The accused must be aware of the role of the trusted faculty member as described in sub-paragraph 4.B below.
   2. A faculty member who is asked to confer with a student concerning an alleged Honor Code violation is expected to provide moral support to the student. The faculty member is not to be involved to defend or excuse the student's actions. The faculty member is not expected to fill the role of a character witness. If asked to accompany the student to the Honor Council Hearing, the faculty member will not enter into any dialogue between council members, accused, or witnesses. The principle of strict confidentiality concerning council members in paragraph 5 below will also apply to the trusted faculty member in all aspects of the case.
5. Honor Council members are on their honor to maintain strict confidentiality regarding Honor Council hearings. Council members are not to mention, discuss or acknowledge any information pertaining to any matter, past or present, except with other Honor Council members at meetings which have been scheduled for that purpose.
6. A Faculty Adviser will notify the accuser, accused and Honor Council of the time and place of the hearing. Hearings before the Honor Council will be held as soon as possible after completion of the investigation by the Faculty Advisers.
7. Plagiarism: In the case of plagiarism hearings (for juniors and seniors only), any student whose research paper is questioned will be informed immediately by the teacher or Faculty Adviser that his paper has been submitted to the First Review Board, the Chair of which will present its findings to the Faculty Adviser within three school days. See also Article IV:2C.
   1. First Review Board: By simple majority and with the name of the student masked, this Board will examine the evidence to determine if sufficient evidence is present to justify bringing charges. For members of this Board, see Article IX:6A.
   2. The Faculty Adviser of the Honor Council will inform the student whether his paper has been cleared or, in the case that the First Review Board feels a hearing is warranted, will schedule a speedy hearing before the Plagiarism Council and will immediately inform the student of its outcome. If the accused is informed that the Plagiarism Council found him or her guilty, the Faculty Adviser will issue a form for the accused's signed statement which is to be returned to the Faculty Adviser by 8:15 the following school day. Additionally, on a form furnished by the Faculty Adviser, the Chairman of the Plagiarism Council will summarize in writing the rationale and finding of his/her council.
   3. The Plagiarism Council: If the case is presented to the Plagiarism Council, a two-thirds vote (4 of 6) is required for a plagiarism conviction. If the Plagiarism Council returns a finding of guilty, the student must appear before the Honor Council to hear the verdict and the Honor Council's recommendation for consequence. For members of this Council, see Article IX:6B.
   4. The Honor Council Hearing: At the hearing, the findings of the Plagiarism Council will be presented by its chair (the faculty Honor Council member of the Plagiarism Council) and/or by the senior student member. The Honor Council is bound by the verdict of the Plagiarism Council. However, the Honor Council shall listen to an oral statement from the accused before deciding on its recommendation for consequences. Other than deciding guilt or innocence, procedures for this hearing shall follow those required in these bylaws for other Honor Council hearings.
8. Honor Council Hearings: The accused and/or the accuser may present witnesses whom he or she feels will enhance his position, although these witnesses must have factual evidence concerning the alleged violation. No parent or counsel outside the school community may attend the hearings, nor are general "character" witnesses permitted. If requested by 9:00 on the morning of the hearing, the Faculty Adviser will provide an opportunity for the accuser and/or accused to review the other's statements prior to the hearing.
9. Each party to the alleged violation will give an oral statement and answer any questions posed by members of the Honor Council in an attempt to clarify the issues involved.
10. The accused and accuser shall not be permitted to ask questions during the hearing. Only members of the Honor Council shall be permitted to ask questions of the accused, accuser and/or any witnesses.
11. The Faculty Adviser to the Honor Council has complete discretion regarding whether to permit a witness to testify and whether to permit evidence to be heard by the Honor Council.
12. Parties in the case and their witnesses will be excused after their testimony. The accused must remain on school grounds and accessible until a decision is reached by the Honor Council.
13. Quorum: For any Honor Council decision to be valid and binding, at least nine (9) Council members must be present and voting. Ideally, a full Council of eleven (11) members will hear a case involving an alleged Honor Code violation, and nine (9) votes will be required for a conviction.
    1. If 10 are present and voting, eight votes are necessary for conviction; or, if only nine members are present and voting, seven guilty votes are necessary for a conviction.
    2. A quorum may be waived only under unusual circumstances and in an uncontested case.
14. Only one vote will be taken. All votes are final.
15. An audiocassette recording of the testimony during the Honor Council hearing will be made. That audiocassette recording shall remain the property of the Honor Council and in the possession of the Faculty Adviser of the Honor Council or Faculty Adviser's designee.
    1. In cases of acquittal, any audiocassette recording shall be destroyed by the Faculty Adviser of the Honor Council.
    2. In cases of conviction, the Faculty Adviser shall retain any audiocassette recordings.
    3. In cases that are appealed, the Headmaster may use the audiocassette recording to assist him/her in determining whether or not to grant the appeal.
    4. The Faculty Adviser of the Honor Council, the Headmaster, and the Head of School are the only people entitled to review any audiocassette recording of an Honor Council hearing. The accused is not entitled to hear or obtain a copy of such.
16. In cases of acquittal, all written statements shall be destroyed by the Faculty Adviser of the Honor Council.
17. In cases of conviction, until his/her graduation or departure for other reasons from Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, the accused and accuser's original written statements, any other written evidence submitted during the Honor Council hearing and any audiocassette recording that exists shall be maintained by the Headmaster of the Upper School and Faculty Adviser of the Honor Council.
18. The accuser and the accused's original written and signed statements and any other written evidence submitted to the Honor Council hearing shall be maintained by the Faculty Adviser of the Honor Council during the pendency of the Honor Council proceedings and appellate process, until a non-appealable determination has been made.
19. Honor Code violations are not recorded upon any of the student's permanent records maintained by the Guidance Department.

ARTICLE VIII: APPEALS

1. The student convicted of an Honor Code violation has the right to appeal that conviction.
2. All appeals must be written and received by the Headmaster within 48 hours of the Honor Council's decision.
3. An appeal received by the Headmaster after 48 hours is untimely and invalid. In the case of an untimely appeal, the Headmaster will have discretion either to refuse the appeal, thereby firming the decision of the Honor Council, or to accept the appeal as timely. The Headmaster's decision is final and not subject to appeal. The decision of the Headmaster will be communicated to the accused in writing.
4. In order to be eligible for an appeal, the accused must present a timely written appeal with a description of the new evidence (evidence not brought out in the original Honor Council hearing), which would be material to absolving the accused of the Honor Council conviction. The Headmaster has sole discretion to determine if there is new evidence, if it is material, and if it warrants a new Honor Council hearing. Procedural irregularities are not a basis for appeal.
5. If an appeal is granted and the Headmaster requests a new hearing, the hearing will proceed within three school days after the Headmaster's decision. The Faculty Adviser shall submit the accused's and the accuser's previous written evidence to the Honor Council. Neither the accused nor the accuser shall be able to alter his or her previous written statement. Any existing audiocassette recording may not be used by the Honor Council but may be retained by the Faculty Adviser to the Honor Council for future use by the Headmaster. (See Article VII, Paragraphs 15C and 17.)
6. If a student convicted of an Honor Code violation is recommended for expulsion by the Honor Council, and if the Headmaster upholds the recommendation, the student may request a closed hearing before the Head of School. At that hearing, the Head shall review the written statements of the accused, the accuser and witnesses, as well as any written evidence submitted during the Honor Council hearing, the audiocassette of the hearing, and shall hear an oral statement from the accused.
   1. The Head of School may ask the accused any questions he deems necessary. However, the accused is not entitled to present witnesses, have outside counsel present, or to have anyone representing him or her.
   2. The Head of School must approve the decision to expel. The decision is not subject to appeal.

ARTICLE IX: MAKEUP OF THE HONOR COUNCIL

1. Membership: The Honor Council shall consist of (8) eight regular student members and one (1) student alternate, all elected by their respective classes. Additionally, three (3) regular faculty members and one (1) faculty alternate will be elected by the student body from a list submitted to them by the Faculty Adviser, with the Headmaster's approval. Regular faculty members will serve three-year rotating terms; the Faculty Alternate shall serve a one-year team.
2. Officers: The Chairman, the Recording Secretary and the Corresponding Secretary shall be elected by the student body from among the three regular members from the Senior Class.
3. Composition: The composition of the Honor Council shall be as follows:

4. Elections: Class elections of two members from the rising Junior Class as well as the schoolwide elections of the following year's officers and new faculty members shall be held in April or May. The Thetamore representative will be elected in September.
   1. Once elected, student members remain on the Council for the duration of their high school careers unless removed for cause by the Faculty Adviser or Headmaster.
   2. Should a student vacancy occur, it will be filled promptly by a classmate special election or, at the discretion of the Faculty Adviser, by the runner-up in the most recent class election of Honor Council representative(s). In order to preserve continuity and corporate knowledge, a faculty member vacancy may be filled by a teacher who has recently completed his/her term in office, or if not practical, then the vacancy may be filled by the runner-up in the most recent student body election of the faculty Honor Council representatives, or filled by either a special election or the normal end of year elections.
5. Duties: As well as serving as a model of ethical behavior, each member of the Honor Council is expected to attend and vote at all hearings, attend and participate in all organizational meetings, and maintain the strict confidentiality required by this Constitution.
6. Plagiarism: Members of the two boards who hear plagiarism cases for junior and senior research papers are listed below. When acting in this capacity, all members shall abide by the Honor Council bylaws requiring confidentiality.
   1. Members of the First Review Board shall be as follows: the Dean of Faculty (chair), the Dean of Students, the English Department chair, the Upper School head librarian, and the chair of the department in which the alleged violation has taken place.
   2. Members of the Plagiarism Council shall be as follows: one eleventh grade Honor Council member, one twelfth grade Honor Council member, two Upper School English teachers, one Upper School history teacher, and one faculty member of the Honor Council (chair), appointed by the Faculty Adviser.

ARTICLE X: THE FACULTY ADVISER(S)

1. The Headmaster shall appoint a non-voting Faculty Adviser or Advisers to guide the operations of the Honor Council.
2. Duties: It shall be the duties of the Adviser to:
   1. issue and receive statements from the principals at Honor Council hearings;
   2. convene each hearing at the earliest possible date;
   3. verify that a quorum is present;
   4. furnish photocopies of statements to participants in hearings and, if appropriate, destroy said copies after decisions are rendered;
   5. report to the Headmaster decisions of the Honor Council;
   6. with the Headmaster, maintain records of each conviction until the graduation of the student concerned;
   7. maintain the impartial and confidential treatment of each student accused of an Honor Code violation;
   8. safeguard the discipline and integrity of the Council;
   9. supervise the election and orientation of new Council members;
   10. oversee periodic review of this Constitution.

   The Faculty Adviser shall have complete discretion in the administration of his/her duties.

rev. June 2008