A. Academic Cases
- Confrontation
a. If a student or another member of the community (including members of the faculty) suspects that the actions of another student are not consistent with the academic aspects of the Honor Code, she or he should talk in person with the student who committed the alleged violation to determine whether or not a potential violation has occurred. If the confronting party is satisfied that no violation has occurred, no further action is needed. If, after the conversation, the confronting party still believes that a violation may have occurred, the confronting party should ask the confronted student to report herself/himself to the Honor Board (preferably, in writing). This process of confrontation should be conducted in a completely confidential manner.b. The confronted student is obligated to contact the Head of the Honor Board within 48 hours to report that an infraction may have occurred. If the confronting party has not heard from the Head of the Honor Board within 48 hours, she or he should report the possible infraction and the student’s name to the Head. This should be done in writing, if possible.c. Both the confronting and confronted parties must write separate statements explaining the circumstances as they perceive them. In ordinary circumstances the statements should be submitted to the Honor Board within 72 hours after the confronted student and the Honor Board have made contact.
d. The Head of the Honor Board and the Dean of the Undergraduate College, or his/her/their designee from the Dean’s Office, will read both statements to determine if a hearing is warranted. If it is unclear whether a matter should be addressed by the Academic or Social Honor Board, the Head of the Honor Board in conjunction with the Dean of the Undergraduate College, or his/her/their designee from the Dean’s Office, shall decide to whom the matter will be referred.
- Hearing Procedures
a. If the confronting party is a student, she or he may be represented during the hearing by the professor involved. The confronting student, however, may be asked to write a statement for the hearing.b. The Senior Counsel and/or the Head of the Honor Board talk to the persons involved prior to each hearing. At the hearing, the statements previously submitted to the Honor Board will be read by Board members before the arrival of the confronting and confronted parties. Both parties (confronting and confronted) may read all written statements.c. In the hearing, the confronted student has the option to be present for all testimony given. The student’s dean is present during the entire hearing, but does not have a vote in the final decision. The hearing is conducted in an informal manner. As soon as the hearing is over, the student is informed of the Board’s decision by the Head of the Honor Board and the Dean of the Undergraduate College or his/her/their designee from the Dean’s Office. The Dean of the Undergraduate College, or his/her/their designee from the Dean’s Office, informs the professor of the confronting party.
d. When the Head of the Honor Board deems it necessary, the Honor Board may call expert witnesses to testify about the materials in question. To ensure impartiality, this witness may not currently be the student’s professor.
e. Each record includes all written statements and the Honor Board’s final decision in the case.
f. At the end of each semester, the Head of the Honor Board will release a final report of the hearings that took place to the Bryn Mawr Community. This report will include the number of academic hearings, the reason why they were brought to the Honor Board, and a broad description of the decision of each hearing. In addition, the Head of the Honor Board will present this information at the end of each semester to the SGA Assembly. Included in the published report, the Head of the Honor Board must also include five to six random abstracts from no earlier than two semesters ago and no older than six. This random selection should be representative of cases that are still relevant to campus life. All members of the Self-Government Association have the right to ask the Head of the Honor Board for as many abstracts from hearings that have happened from no earlier than two semesters ago and no older than six semesters.
g. Appeals of decisions of the Academic Honor Board may be made to the President of the College within one week of the conclusion of the hearing. Appeals may only be made in cases where the procedure followed is questionable. The appeal must be presented in writing. The President will review all materials from the hearing, and the decision of the Honor Board in respect to the complaint of the confronted student. The President will not hear new evidence. The President may uphold any decision of the Honor Board, reverse that decision, or call for a new hearing. Decisions involving separation and exclusion are automatically appealed.
B. Social Cases
- Confrontation
a. If a student is offended by the actions of another student, either personally or because the student believes them to be detrimental to the community, the student must confront the student directly as the first step toward conflict resolution. This conversation must take place in person unless the option is not available (i.e. the student is abroad). Confrontation is not a hostile action. The two students should engage in a constructive discussion to try and reach a common understanding. This does not imply an agreement but an “exchange of values” or “expression of concerns” which results in a viable solution for both parties. An Honor Board member may act on behalf of another student if this process would place the student involved in physical danger. In the case of an Honor Board member assisting in the confrontation, a clear line of communication must be maintained between the students involved in the confrontation.
b. In conflicts where a third party may be helpful, the following resources are available:i. The Hall Adviser’s role is that of advising the students on how to use the Honor Code. Hall advisers may, if asked by one of the conflicting parties, help facilitate, but not mediate, the resolution of prolonged disputes. They are a part of the support network during repeated attempts at confrontation; they may give advice to both sides.ii. If the problem remains unsolved, a formal mediation may be desired. Mediation is a process by which a trained, neutral third party assists the parties in a conflict to arrive at a resolution through facilitating communication. The Conflict Resolution Committee, along with Facilitated Dialogue, can be utilized to foster communication and help solve prolonged disputes with complete confidentiality. Contact information for both resources can be found in the student handbook and on the College’s Web site.iii. Customs people, because it is necessary that they maintain good relations with both sides of a dispute, are asked not to participate in mediation or confrontation between freshwomen in their halls. They may refer conflicting parties to the appropriate resources.
iv. Honor Board representatives, assigned by dorm, are available to address concerns regarding the Honor Code and confrontation.
c. Confidentiality is vital to the success of the Social Honor Code; knowledge of the problem must be confined to as limited a group of people as possible (ie: the persons involved, HA’s, mediators, counselors, 1-2 confidants, etc.).
d. If the issue cannot be resolved, the Head of the Honor Board should be contacted.
e. Both the confronting and confronted parties must write separate statements explaining the circumstances as they perceive them. In ordinary circumstances, the statements should be submitted to the Honor Board within 72 hours after the confronted student and the Honor Board have made contact.
f. The Head of the Honor Board, along with the Senior Counsel and with one other Board member, will collect written statements and determine if a hearing is warranted and which witnesses will be heard.
- Hearing Procedures
a. The Head of the Honor Board informs the confronted student of her or his option to seek advice from the Senior Counsel.b. The Senior Counsel and/or the Head talk to the parties involved prior to each hearing. At the hearing, the statements previously submitted to the Honor Board will be read by Board members before the arrival of the confronting and confronted parties.
c. In the hearing, the confronted student has the option to be present for all testimony given and, in the event that the confronted student decides to speak, speaks last. The hearing is conducted in an informal manner. As soon as the hearing is over, the student is informed of the decision of the Board by the Head of the Honor Board and Senior Counsel.
d. Social hearings are confidential. Each record includes all written statements and the Honor Board’s final decision in the case.
e. At the beginning of the spring semester, the Head of the Honor Board must release Social Honor Board Hearing abstracts from no earlier than two semesters ago and no older than ten. These abstracts should be presented to the SGA assembly and will be released to the Bryn Mawr community. The Head of the Honor Board should take into consideration issues of confidentiality while selecting these abstracts as there still may be collective memory over the incident. The Head of the Honor Board will consult the Dean of Undergraduate Students when doing so. If the Head of the Honor Board does not have any Social Honor Board abstracts to release, then she must state this to the SGA Assembly at the beginning of the spring semester.
- Appeal
a. Appeals of decisions of the Social Honor Board must be directed to the President of the Self-Government Association, in writing, within one week of the conclusion of the hearing unless the confronted student is a current member of the SGA assembly. Appeals may only be made in cases where the procedure followed is questionable; decisions involving separation and exclusion are automatically appealed. The President of the SGA will appoint two members of the SGA Assembly to an Appeal Committee. The student bringing the appeal selects one member of the SGA Assembly to serve on the Appeal Committee. Those three choose two more members from the SGA assembly; the five elect a chairperson. The Appeal Committee invites the Head of the Honor Board to respond in writing to the complaint and reviews this and all other written materials. It may interview the student bringing the appeal and the Head of the Honor Board. The Appeal Committee may uphold the Honor Board’s decision, reverse the decision, or order a new hearing. It reports in writing to the President of the SGA. The Appeal Committee must complete its work in one sitting.
b. Final appeal may be directed in writing to the President of the College and the President of the SGA within three days of receipt of the decision of the Appeal Committee. The Presidents will review all materials from the hearing and the appeal. They may uphold the decision of the Appeal Committee, reverse it, or order a new hearing.
c. If the confronted student is a current member of the SGA assembly, appeals must be directed to the President of the College, in writing, within one week of the conclusion of the hearing. Appeals may only be made in cases where the procedure followed is questionable. The President will review all materials from the hearing, and the decision of the Honor Board in respect to the complaint of the appealing student. The President will not hear new evidence. The President may uphold any decision of the Honor Board, reverse that decision, or call for a new hearing. Decisions involving separation and exclusion are automatically appealed.