History

The documented history of an academic honor code dates back to 1736 at The College of William and Mary and is the oldest honor code in the nation. The Honor Code is an enduring tradition to this day, students administer the Honor pledge to each incoming student and educate faculty and administration on the relevance of the Code and its application to students' lives at the College. Students administer the Code through six Honor Councils and the Council of Chairs. The College of William and Mary founded the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society in 1776 and was the first school of higher education in the United States to install an honor code of conduct for students. The College's Honor Code is based upon the premise that a person's honor is his or her most cherished attribute. In a community devoted to learning, a foundation of honor among individuals must exist if that community is to thrive with respect and harmony among its members. An Honor System is an ideal mechanism to ensure such a state of affairs. With it, students and faculty are afforded a freedom that otherwise may not be available. With this freedom comes each individual's responsibility to conduct himself or herself in such a way that the spirit of mutual trust which sustains the system is not compromised. The Honor Code applies to alleged acts of lying, stealing or cheating that adversely affect the College community, whether committed by a student on campus or elsewhere.