The ASUC, the Graduate Assembly, the Academic Senate, and the Deans of the College of Letters and Science have joined forces to string together what they believe is a statement powerful enough to revolutionize UC Berkeley’s integrity and discipline. The “UC Berkeley Honor Code,” as it is officially titled, goes as such:

“As a member of the UC Berkeley community, I act with honesty, integrity, and respect for others.”

 

Although only days after the ASUC Senate voted no confidence on university policies regarding sexual assault cases, those behind the construction of the new Honor Code claim it “is not a response to a specific event or set of events.” Rather our bright and shiny new Honor Code was brought into the public sphere and implemented as an attempt to reinstate Cal’s morals and ethics.

Many have questioned what need there is for an honor code if there is already the Code of Student Conduct, which encompasses pages worth of rules, regulations, and violation consequences that are already employed here at Cal. However, there are many stark differences between the two. First off, students might actually read the Honor Code. Living in a generation where we would rather get our news from 140 character Tweets than to actually take the time to read about the history and complexities of the North Korean conflict, for example, it would only make sense to keep the Honor Code as short as our attention spans.

Secondly, placing it on our exams, as some professors and GSI’s have already began doing, will surely steer students away from cheating. I can’t think of a greater time to remind students that cheating is overwhelmingly common than right before a test.

Finally, their plans of implementation foreshadow impeccable success. According to the new Honor Code website, “incoming undergraduate and graduate students beginning with Fall semester 2013 will indicate that they agree with the Honor Code when they accept an offer of admission to UC Berkeley.” It’s similar to our previous (in some cases current) court systems, where a person had to hold their hand over a bible before taking the stand, which always ensured that they would tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Regardless of religious belief, one was automatically persuaded to speak with only complete honesty once placing their hand on the Holy text, which must be why those who created the Honor Code created this statement. There is just something about “on your honor” that makes liars, cheaters, and, more relevantly, sexual predators want to change their ways.

So, will the new Honor Code bring honor to UC Berkeley? Despite the sarcasm and haughty remarks, I am going to say yes. Definitely yes for those who already refrained from misconduct. However, for those that this statement aims it efforts at, it’s a bit more difficult to say. I guess we will just have to ask the Cal delinquents themselves if they have taken a turn for the better and hope for an honest answer.

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