Living with the honor principle
Living with the honor principle
is one of the challenging aspects of studying at Reed. But what is the
honor principle? It has no official definition; you won't find it in
the community constitution or tucked away in some obscure governance
document. Nevertheless, all members of the community are bound by the
honor principle. The most common formulation of the honor principle states that any
action that causes unnecessary pain or discomfiture to any member of
the Reed community, group within the community, or to the community as
a whole is a violation of the honor principle. While most people would
agree with this formulation, this is an interpretation of the honor
principle rather than a definition. The fact is that the honor
principle has never been officially defined. Instead, each member of the Reed community must work to develop an
understanding of it, both as an individual and as a community member.
You should keep this in mind as you read and think about the honor
principle. This guidebook explores how the honor principle can be both useful
and used, despite the fact that it is not explicitly defined. We hope
to help you think about what the honor principle is and how it works.
The honor principle is not an easy way to run community affairs: it
would be much easier to impose endless rules and regulations, the route
chosen by many other colleges and universities. Reed, however, remains committed to the notion that the expectation
of honorable conduct is the best way to run its internal affairs. Each
individual must recognize and accept the extraordinary responsibility
placed on him or her by the honor principle in order for the community
to function effectively for everyone. In 1919 the constitution of the student body asserted that student
conduct should be governed "by the application of the honor principle,
which is based on the assumption that students will be guided . . . by
their own knowledge of right and wrong." In 1963 the community senate approved a clarifying statement (in
1968 this statement was amended by inserting the word "unnecessary"
before "embarrassment."): "Two kinds of behavior are . . . in violation of the honor
principle: (1) Conduct which causes embarrassment, discomfort or injury
to other individuals or to the community as a whole. (2) Conduct in
violation of specific rules that have been developed over the years to
meet special conditions in the community." In 1973 the faculty adopted a still more explicit statement: "The members of the Reed College community believe that they should
take upon themselves a responsibility for maintaining standards of
conduct which ensure an atmosphere of honesty and mutual trust in their
academic and social lives. Such standards of conduct rest upon a
principle of honor rather than a constitutional system of right and
law. This principle entails the unquestioned integrity of the
individual in all areas of his intellectual activity, and a shared
responsibility for enabling the college as a whole to achieve its
highest aims as a community of scholarship and learning. The honor
principle also demands the respectful concern of each person for the
other, and the exercise of conscionable judgment in all actions toward
individuals and their property. Let it be understood that such
integrity, concern, and judgment are not simply matters of an
individual's intentions, but, rather, entail qualities of conduct which
are clearly reflected in one's actions. Although the college does not
call upon its members to sign a pledge of honor, it does recognize the
necessity for tacit agreement by all its members to support the honor
principle by governing their own conduct in accordance with its spirit,
by respecting regulations which the community has established, by
acting in a responsible manner toward honor violations that come to
their attention. Members of the community should recognize their
obligations to notify the judicial board of actions involving a breach
of the honor principle, even though such actions may be their own." The current characterization of the honor principle follows in the
footsteps of these earlier attempts to establish contemporary "working"
community guidelines, though by no means does it define the honor
principle itself. The simplest way to resolve an honor issue is to engage in
discussion before the issue even develops. Consider the effect of your
actions on others. In most instances, we don't act to put others in
uncomfortable situations, but that can still be an unanticipated
outcome. Most friction can be avoided by relatively small concessions
to others' feelings. Where your behavior will only affect a small group of people (for
example, the people in your dorm) try to identify those who could be
inconvenienced or offended by your actions and talk to them. If you
want to play loud music, try to reach a compromise first, rather than
waiting to see if a confrontation will result from playing it when you
feel like it. If your actions might have an effect on the larger community, try to
behave discreetly. Everyone bends some rules. The important thing is to
bend them in such a way that you affect as few people as possible.
Consider whether or not your behavior could possibly cause anyone
discomfiture you might not feel. Be mindful of every member of the
community, not just yourself and your friends. Recognize that the honor principle assumes that all members of the
community are in control of their behavior and willing to take
responsibility for their actions. If you appear to be drunk or rowdy,
someone else might not feel that you would respond appropriately when
confronted. Remember that you're still obliged to be respectful of
other people's rights at all times and in all mental states. "The honor principle urges us all to reflect carefully on our words
and deeds rather than flinging them in a haphazard and potentially
damaging way. At this juncture we are faced by two possibilities. The
community as a whole can act to pressure guilty parties into ending
their destruction, or we can remain coolly impassive and force the
administration to lumber forth and clean up our mess. Social
responsibility is the necessary companion of social freedom; it's time
for the student body to demonstrate that the college's faith in the
honor principle has not been misplaced." "Part of what makes adapting to living with the honor principle
difficult as an incoming student is that it defies everything modern
culture teaches us. In America, individualism is often mistaken for
uninformed defiance of community. Individuals can exist within a
community, and that is what Reed needs. Reed is indeed a community of
scholars and individuals with academic goals. If 1,400 of the world's
supposedly brightest people can't learn to live with each other
maturely and respectfully, what hope can there be for the rest of the
world? I challenge every student, professor, administrator, and staff
member to embrace the quest for community and humanity." -- Patrick Stockstill '03Introduction
Old Reed characterizations
Avoiding problems
Final thoughts