Colleges With Enforced Honor Codes

LakeWashington
Fri, 05 May 2006 15:43:03 +0000

Punishments for violation of the W&L code can be quite severe, but at other times ineffective or non-existent. For example, years ago there was a celebrated instance of no punishment for what was obviously horrid behavior. While driving among the campus environs (but not actually on campus) a W&L male struck and killed a female classmate. He left the scene but confessed to his roomate, who advised him to ‘get outta dodge’ to get the car repaired, so as to cover up the crime. For weeks no one came forward, until the perpetrator contacted the authorities by means of an attorney. The perp demanded a quite lenient deal before coming forward and fessing up, which he received. Neither the perp nor this “accomplice” were charged with an honor violation.

Contrast this with the fact that other W&L students have been subject to honor trials for off campus behavior (shoplifting, passing bad checks, etc).