Archivist note: Originally published on the Elections WordPress site. Apr 19, 2014 @ 22:08, “Class of 2017 Two Year Representative to the Honor Board”
Ariane Marchis-Mouren
In view of the position that I am campaigning for, I did not know that I was interested in becoming a member of the Honor Board until about a week ago. Then came the email notifying me of my nomination for the position of the Class of 2017 Two Year Representative to the Honor Board. I immediately researched what it meant to be in the Honor Board, and more importantly, I thought about why whoever nominated me believed that I should run for this office. I wanted to have very good reasons before making the decision to accept or deny the nomination. Obviously, the arguments to serve the Bryn Mawr community by protecting the integrity of the Honor Code were compelling.
Our generation grew up with technology that gives us many opportunities to cheat. Copying and pasting was one of the first computer skills we mastered. It is so easy and so tempting to take a few sentences and paragraphs from different sources, string them together and… Voilà! Instant term paper! This is not scholarly work though, and of course, we would only be cheating ourselves.
In a world where politicians, bankers, lawyers, and even scientists are caught fudging numbers and results, we as Mawters should all the more uphold the essence of the Honor Code, and be models of integrity.
I would like to go out into the world, and say that I am a Mawter, and people would recognize that as a stamp of responsibility and probity.
A few days ago, I read an article in the New York Times about The Fading Honor Code. At Middlebury’s economics department, it will be the first time in 49 years that exams will be proctored. We do not want this to happen to Bryn Mawr. We have a reputation to defend. I want to work to uphold our Honor Code system.
As an elected class representative for many years in middle school and high school in France, I have had to settle disagreements between classmates. I have been successful at solving problems between students and between students and faculty without anyone getting upset or getting hurt.
What is my impression of the responsibilities and skills this position will encompass?
First, I know how to keep secrets. I guarantee never to divulge details of hearings. Second, I have fairly good people skills. Third, I am a very good listener. Fourth, I have a younger brother, so I have plenty of experience in resolving disputes. Fifth, I am a good teammate and I work well in a group.
What can I change to improve the effectiveness of this position?
Possibly, educate or remind people frequently (maybe once a month) about the Honor Code. How can this be done? An approach that resembles an advertising campaign (print, social media) might be effective.