Archivist note: Originally published on the Elections WordPress site. Feb 8, 2014 @ 00:23, “The Head of the Honor Board”
Melanie Bahti
My name is Melanie Bahti ‘16, and I’m running for the position of Head of the Honor Board. I’ve served on the Honor Board since April of my freshman year, and I feel strongly that the Honor Code is one of the most important components of a Bryn Mawr education, and part of what makes our community unique. I take great pride in Bryn Mawr’s distinguished tradition of respect and trust in its students. I’m running for this position because I want to take on a bigger leadership role in SGA while continuing to be involved with the Honor Board. As Head of the Honor Board, I hope to find creative ways to increase awareness of the Honor Code’s presence on campus, and to present the Honor Board as an accessible agent of positive change.
A major part of the Head of the Honor Board’s role is effective and consistent communication with administrators, deans, students, and faculty. As a member of the Honor Board, Customsperson, TA, and faculty search committee representative, I have experience communicating and working with various constituencies within the College community. I am very organized, dependable, and proactive, and I think that my detail-oriented nature will allow me to keep up with this paperwork-heavy position.
I hope to continue increasing student understanding of the Honor Code and its resources through a variety of initiatives started by this year’s Honor Board. These include further integration of the Honor Board Dorm Liaisons and Conflict Resolution Committee into dorm programming, expansion of educational efforts about the Honor Code and self-governance beyond Customs Week, and continuing to work with Admissions and the Alumnae Association to connect prospective students and alumnae/i with the importance of the Honor Code and SGA at and beyond Bryn Mawr. I also hope to emphasize the myriad small impacts of the Honor Code and its spirit in our daily lives as Mawrters.
In addition to these outreach efforts, I plan to clarify some less well-understood aspects of the code, particularly as it relates to students in the Bi-Co. I also plan to ensure that the Code as it is written reflects the Honor Board’s current practices for maximum procedural transparency. I would like to engage the campus in discussion about the role of the Honor Code in electronic communication, as well as work with the Dean’s Office and members of the faculty on integrating the Honor Code into course content and structure. By collaborating with the SGA Exec Board and other student leaders, Haverford’s Honor Council, and faculty and staff members, I will find ways to make the Honor Code/Board accessible to all members of the College community.
I value the autonomy afforded to Bryn Mawr students under the Honor Code, and I find our system of restorative justice strikingly different from the no-tolerance policies common at other institutions. I take these privileges seriously and want to devote my time and energy to ensuring that they function well. I hold myself to high standards of integrity as a student, friend, and leader on campus, and I would be grateful to take on this important role in our community.
Contact me: mbahti@brynmawr.edu
Eun-young Park
Hi Mawrters. I am Eun-young Park and am running for Head of the Honor Board. I am currently a junior chemistry major with a hopeful minor in comparative literature. I am also currently a 2-year member on the Honor Board as 1 of the 2 representatives for the Class of 2015.
I thought about writing in essay format but instead I’ve broken it down to question and answer format. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at epark02@brynmawr.edu.
1. Why am I interested in this position?
Because being on the Honor Board has been an amazing experience and I believe that I am capable of leading the Board in its initiatives as well as take charge of hearings. I look forward to working with the variety of people – the board, SGA exec board, deans, as well as students and faculty.
2. What is my impression of the responsibilities and skills this position will encompass?
I understand the brevity of the responsibilities that come with this position. I actually needed 3 days to really consider if I could handle all the responsibilities as Head of the Honor Board before accepting my nomination. I know that this position requires a good listener, someone who is organized, timely, firm, open minded, an effective communicator, and someone who has positive relations with e-mail as it is a large part of this position.
3. What background or experience do I have that would be relevant to this position?
2-year representative to the Honor Board. I’ve sat on countless hearings, each of which has made me appreciate and admire the Code more and more. I know the different events, meetings, and activities the Honor Board has held in the past and look forward to coming up with new ones for this coming year.
4. What can I change to improve the effectiveness of this position?
There has been already so much change going on that is helping the Honor Board. The number one thing I would emphasize from what’s currently really helping is Google docs.
5. What new ideas can I bring to this position and the student government as a whole?
I like arts and crafts and am determined to have Honor Code appreciation events regarding hands on activities. I want to create a space for students to realize that the Code is really integrated in their lives at Bryn Mawr in so many aspects. Possibly starting in the dining halls is a good place.
6. What is my general knowledge of SGA and how have I already contributed?
I know that Bryn Mawr lives and breathes by the power of self-governance and SGA is what allows this community to grow together during our time as undergraduates. I believe that I have contributed through attending plenary, being on the Honor Board, working as an Erdman supervisor, attending Candidates’ Forums, keeping up with Minutes, and most importantly, sustaining my identity and actions in accordance with the Honor Code, which is the underlying foundation of SGA.
Info on other candidates can be found on http://elections.blogs.brynmawr.edu and you can vote on Moodle from 7AM on Monday 2/10 to 9PM on Tuesday. Contact info for elections head is elections@brynmawr.edu.
Thanks for reading!