Honor System

As an institution of higher learning, Stetson University depends upon its members--students, faculty, staff, and administration--to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity. Without a commitment to this ideal, the foundation of our educational mission is undermined, and truth - the ultimate goal of our pursuits at the University--loses its meaning and force. The Honor System seeks to nourish a vital campus culture, one where students, faculty, administration, and staff are mutually committed to pursuing truth in a spirit of cooperation and respect. Laws and rules exist to protect a society and its members, but truly to flourish, a community relies upon the individual to take responsibility for his or her actions and to uphold certain bedrock principles. The Honor System specifies actions that are harmful to the community and establishes ways of dealing with those who violate basic standards. But the primary justification for the Honor System is that it challenges individuals to reflect upon the ethical issues they face as members of a University and encourages them to take positive steps to maintain the integrity of themselves and their community. Moreover, by affirming student self-governance in the form of an Honor Council, this Honor System underscores the central roles that both students and faculty play in upholding academic integrity.

More information regarding Stetson’s Honor System may be found at www.stetson.edu/other/honor-system.