| Honor Council Rice University |
Abstract of the Honor Council
Case #13, Carried over from Fall, 1994
February 2, 1995
Members Present: Alex Cestero, Sam Cole, John Doll, Carolyn Gill, Dan
Grossman, Lauren Kern, Caline Mouawad, Michael Munson, and Kevin Reed
Ombuds: Jen Bullard
Investigator: Chris Vissers
Letter of Accusation
The Honor Council received a letter from a student accusing
another student, Student A, of cheating on an exam in a graduate level
humanities course. The letter explained that Student A kept a
butterfly-clipped packet of his notes on his desk during the exam.
Several students saw Student A flipping through his notes and looking
in his backpack throughout the exam. The accuser felt that this
behavior fit in with a pattern in which Student A takes advantage of
the system.
Evidence Submitted
- Letter of accusation
- Deposition statement made by Student A at investigatory hearing
- Deposition of professor
- Student A's exam
- Student A's class notes
- Letter sent to Student A from relative
- Butterfly-clipped packet of papers
Plea
Student A entered a plea of Not In Violation.
Opening Statement
Student A explained that the papers on his desk were not his
notes. He had given his notes to the student seated to the right of
him just before the exam. After this student had finished looking at
the notes, he placed them in the seat between them. Student A then
placed his backpack on top of his notes in the chair.
Student A said that he had received a very emotional and long-
expected letter from a relative just before the exam. He placed the
letter within a butterfly-clipped packet of papers on his desk that
had nothing to do with the exam. Student A had not had time to read
the letter in its entirety before the exam and was very distracted by
it during the exam. He said that he came back to it occasionally
during the test. If he had looked nervous during the test then it was
because of this letter, and not an intent to cheat.
He also remembered rummaging in his backpack for a pencil
lead.
Student A said that he would not have had time to use his
notes to cheat on the exam because of their language and format. And
no one who wanted to cheat would do it in front of the class in this
manner.
Student A explained that his test showed no signs of cheating
and that the student seated next to him could testify in his defense.
He closed by saying that he had no reason or motive to cheat and
expressing his deep commitment to Rice.
Questioning
Student A clarified several points he had made in his opening
statement. Student A also expressed his feeling that he had been
accused with malicious intent.
Witness 1 - Accuser
This witness explained that he had been seated across the room
from Student A during the exam. He said that when the proctor passed
out the exams everyone cleared their desks except for Student A, who
kept a butterfly-clipped packet of typed material on his desk. He saw
Student A flip through the packet during the test. Although he was
never close enough to see what the materials were, this witness
thought they were typed notes from a study group. This witness said
he was sure Student A was cheating by the way in which he was looking
at the papers. When shown the packet of other materials that Student
A said he had had on his desk, the witness confirmed that it would not
have been useful on the exam.
This witness said that the notes would have been a big
advantage because part of the exam tested definitions. This witness
explained that he had had a bad experience working with Student A
before and did not like Student A.
Witness 2 - Student
This witness also stated that he saw Student A looking through
a butterfly-clipped packet during the exam. He could not tell what
the materials were. He also stated that he saw Student A looking in
his backpack, indiscreetly, and turning back to write on the exam. He
testified that the notes would have been very helpful on the exam - a
few of the terms tested were somewhat obscure.
Witness 3 - Student
This witness was sitting immediately to the right of Student A
during the exam. He asked Student A if he could look at his notes
just before the exam. When he was finished with them, he placed them
in the chair between them. Student A then put his backpack on top of
the notes. This witness testified that this packet contained all of
Student A's notes.
During the exam, this witness noticed Student A looking
through his backpack. Student A then asked this witness for a pencil.
This witness noticed a packet on Student A's desk stamped
"Confidential." Student A was opening the packet and reading
something. The witness thought that what Student A was reading
appeared to be handwritten and looked like the letter introduced as
evidence. The witness testified that at first he thought that Student
A was cheating, that it would have looked like cheating from far away,
but then he looked down and saw that Student A's notes were still in
the chair with the backpack on top of them.
This witness testified that the accuser and Student A did not
get along. He stated that he knew Student A fairly well but that they
had not discussed the specifics of the case, and were by no means
close friends.
Witness 4 - Student
This witness stated that Student A was looking at a butterfly-
clipped packet that was on his desk during the exam. The witness
assumed the packet contained notes that would help on the exam. The
witness was seated across the room from Student A.
Witness 5 - Student
This witness also stated that he saw a butterfly-clipped
packet of materials on Student A's desk during the exam. He did not
see him looking through the packet. The witness was seated down the
row from Student A.
Witness 6 - Student
This witness was seated immediately to the left of Student A.
He saw nothing and couldn't testify as to whether or not Student A
used his notes on the exam. He explained that the notes would have
helped primarily on the definition section of the exam.
Closing Statement
Student A explained again the emotional letter discussed in
the opening statement. He said that if you compare the exam to his
notes there is no real similarity. Student A said that the rumor of
his cheating has hurt him a lot and reiterated the idea of possible
malicious intent in the accusation.
Deliberation
After reviewing the specifics of the case, the Council decided
that the evidence was not convincing enough to warrant a finding of In
Violation. None of the students who thought Student A was cheating
could tell what he was looking at, because they were seated far away
from him. And the student seated next to him confirmed Student A's
testimony that: the notes were in the chair with the backpack on top
of them, the packet on Student A's desk was different from the packet
of notes and was marked "Confidential," and there was a handwritten
letter stuck in the packet. A straw poll was taken:
Straw Poll #1
In Violation 0
Not In Violation 9
Abstentions 0
With no objections, the results from Straw Poll #1 were made
binding. Thus, the Honor Council finds Student A Not In Violation of
the Honor System.
Respectfully submitted,
Lauren T. Kern
Trial Clerk
Time of trial and deliberation: approx. 3 hours.