Frequently Asked Questions

Founded in 1919, the St. Olaf Honor Council is the exclusively student-run body charged with adjudicating allegations of academic dishonesty on examinations.

Implicated students are notified immediately upon the beginning of an investigation through email by the Case Investigator, allowing time to prepare a response.

If applicable, do not sign the pledge and check the box instead. Otherwise, communicate your concerns directly to the course professor who will then submit a Report Form to the Honor Council on your behalf.

The Honor Council will take all reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality of all parties throughout the Honor Council process. With the exception of those authorized under FERPA, the identity of any parties will not be shared with others outside the Honor Council without the permission of the party or witness, a lawfully issued subpoena, court order, or administrative order.

The Honor Council permits faculty members to utilize their discretion in determining whether proctoring examinations best serves the pedagogical needs of their students. The Honor Council encourages that best practices are utilized in the event faculty members decide to proctor examinations. Some common points to consider with respect to proctoring include the effect of proctoring on (i) the speed at which questions are answered during examinations, (ii) exam-associated anxiety and stress, (iii) the potential increase of implicit bias and (iv) the culture of the Honor Council at St. Olaf College.

Students are responsible for understanding and following their instructor’s examination instructions, including policies regarding permitted materials, electronic devices, collaboration, artificial intelligence tools, and examination timing. Students should seek clarification from their instructor before the examination if any expectations are unclear.

Students are expected to follow their instructor’s policies regarding electronic devices and accessories during examinations. These include cell phones, smartwatches (such as Apple Watches), smart glasses (including Meta AI glasses), earbuds, and headphones.

Unless explicitly authorized by the instructor, students should not use these devices during an examination. Students must also follow instructions regarding where electronic devices and personal belongings should be placed.
Students with approved academic accommodations should follow the arrangements established with their instructor and the appropriate college office.

Students are expected to adhere to the examination schedule and time limits established by their instructor. This includes following instructions regarding when an examination begins, when students must stop working, and when examination materials must be submitted. Students should not begin an examination before the authorized start time or continue working beyond the designated end time without permission. Questions regarding late arrivals, extensions, or approved accommodations should be addressed with the instructor.

Permitted materials and resources vary depending on the examination and the instructor’s stated policies. These may include textbooks, notes, calculators, electronic devices, or online resources.

Students should not assume that materials or resources are permitted unless authorized by their instructor. If instructions are unclear, students are responsible for seeking clarification before using those resources.

The use of artificial intelligence tools and generative AI platforms, is subject to the instructor’s examination policies.
Students should not assume that AI assistance is permitted simply because an examination is open-book, open-note, or completed outside the classroom.
Instructors determine whether AI tools are permitted and, if so, the specific ways in which students may use them. Students should seek clarification before using AI tools if the instructions are unclear.

Yes. Take-home examinations are subject to the St. Olaf Honor Code, just as in-class examinations are.<br>
Students are expected to follow their instructor’s stated requirements regarding permitted resources, collaboration, and the use of artificial intelligence tools. Unauthorized assistance or collaboration during a take-home examination may constitute an Honor Code violation.

If applicable, do not sign the Honor Pledge and check the designated box instead. Otherwise, communicate your concerns directly to the course instructor, who can submit the appropriate report to the Honor Council on your behalf.

Your professor will submit a Report Form to the Honor Council. The Council will contact you and ask you to complete a form explaining your reason for not signing the Honor Pledge.

If you accidentally forget to sign the Honor Pledge, your professor may contact you to clarify your intention. You should explain that the omission was unintentional. If the examination has already been referred to the Honor Council, you will have an opportunity to clarify the circumstances when contacted by the Council.

During the fall semester, the Honor Council is composed of 13 members: 5 seniors, 5 juniors, and 3 sophomores. At the beginning of each January Interim, a first year student joins the Honor Council, bringing the Interim and spring semester membership to 14 members.

No, but the Honor Council does have a non-voting Faculty Advisor, who is able to sit-in on discussions and provide their opinion. However, they are not allowed to vote, and all investigations and decisions are conducted by the student members only.

The Honor Council holds elections for 5 positions each year. In November, one first year student is elected to take office at the beginning of the January Interim. In April, two rising sophomores and two rising juniors are elected to take office at the start of the following Fall semester. More information regarding the elections is available here.

The answer is yes. Honor Council members serve until the commencement ceremony of the class they represent. However, if they are temporarily unable to perform their duties (because of studying abroad, for example) they may request a leave of absence, not to exceed one academic term plus an Interim.

An overview of the Honor Council Process can be accessed here.

The duration of the Honor Council Process varies depending on the specific circumstances of the case. 

Students, faculty members, and other members of the St. Olaf community may raise concerns regarding suspected Honor Code violations.
Students who witness potential academic dishonesty should first bring their concerns to the attention of the course instructor, who can initiate the appropriate reporting process through the Honor Council Form Center.
Faculty members may also independently report suspected Honor Code violations, even if no student has raised a concern or declined to sign the Honor Pledge. A student report is not required for faculty members to initiate the Honor Council process.

You are guaranteed the right to have access to an impartial, confidential Honor Code Guide to help in preparation before a meeting with the Honor Council. Additionally, the Dean of Students Rosalyn Eaton is another excellent resource for support and consultation throughout the process.

The Honor Code Guides are a group of faculty and staff members trained to answer questions related to the Honor Council, the Honor Code, and any matters regarding the Honor System. All discussions with Honor Code Guides are strictly confidential and will not be shared with any other member of the faculty, staff, or student body, including members of the Honor Council. The Honor Council is prohibited from calling upon Honor Code Guides to testify or to provide any information to the Council. Please email the Honor Code Guide that you would like to meet with prior to seeking them out in order to ensure your confidentiality.

You are not required to dress up for an interview; wear what you would on any other day.

Records are retained for a period of seven years after your graduation date. The Honor Council keeps records of all Honor System violations to ensure appropriate sanctions for repeated offenses.

As part of the Honor Council process, implicated students are asked to disclose any relationships they might have with Honor Council members. Per Honor Council policies, if a member is determined to have a conflict of interest for a particular case, they would be relieved from participating in the case.

The Honor Council adopts a tiered model for determining responsibility in Honor Council cases: Not Responsible, Test Etiquette Violation, Honor Code Infraction and Honor Code Violation.

In determining responsibility for an Honor System violation, a preponderance of the evidence shall be required, interpreted as the implicated student being “more likely than not” responsible for any alleged wrongdoing.

A Code of Test Etiquette Violation is assessed when the Council determines that a student behaved suspiciously or in a distracting manner in such a way that the testing environment was disrupted. This outcome is often associated with a general warning and reminder of the policies pertaining to academic integrity here at St. Olaf.

An Honor Code Infraction occurs when the Council determines the student more likely than not violated the Honor Code but deems that mitigating circumstances negate the efficacy of the addition of this violation to the student’s disciplinary record. However, in the case of an Honor Code Violation, the Council will be required to establish a formal indication of the violation in the student’s disciplinary record.

Sanctions will reflect a variety of mitigating and aggravating circumstances and may change on a case-by-case basis for similar situations of academic dishonesty as a result. Potential sanctions range from providing the implicated student a formal warning to recommending them for expulsion from the College. However, sanctions are most commonly a grade penalty.

In the case of an Honor Code Violation, the Council will be required to establish a formal indication of the violation in the student’s disciplinary record. If you apply to graduate schools, it is possible that they will request these files. It is the College’s policy not to release this information without the written consent of the student. Generally, graduate schools offer a space to explain or reflect on such issues. This can be an excellent opportunity to share what you have learned from this experience.

No indication of any Honor System violation will appear on your transcript.

You may appeal the Honor Council’s decision to the Dean of Students within the stated deadline. The appeal must be based solely upon a procedural violation that led to an illegitimate case outcome during the investigation or adjudication process or if new information pertinent to the case outcome is presented, not on the responsibility or sanction determination itself.