About the Honor Council
The Honor Council is composed of approximately 100 members including the following:
1. The Honor Council president and vice-president
2. The Honor Council Coordinator
3. Three student investigators
4. Approximately 50 faculty members
5. Approximately 40 undergraduate student representatives
6. Approximately 10 graduate student representatives

The Honor Council was established in 1909 as an early means of student government.  In the Fall of 1996, a University Task Force was assembled to review the current Honor Code and make appropriate changes as necessary to both the code and council.  The result of the task force is what comprises the code today.  

The Honor Code establishes guidelines that the council follows in the adjudication of alleged honor violations, provides students with a list of their rights with regard to alleged violations, and dictates the course of events when a student is accused of a violation.  

The Honor Council is directly responsible to the Honor Advisory Board, a University committee charged with ensuring that the code is properly implemented and maintained.  All changes to the Honor Code are made through this body.  

Terms of the Honor Council Members
(1) The president, the vice president and the investigators will take office on the date of the May graduation following their election and will serve until the next May graduation.

(2) The faculty members and student representatives will serve for the full academic year following their election, beginning with the start of the fall semester.

Specific Duties of the Honor Council Members
President | Vice-President | Coordinator | Investigators | Representatives

Honor Council President
The president will serve as the chief executive officer for the James Madison University Honor system and will have the following specific duties:

(a) The president will chair all hearing board hearings with no vote. He or she will control the general order of the hearing, ensure that information on both sides is adequately presented and rule on any questions of evidence, procedure or due process. The president may consult with the Honor Council coordinator before making rulings.

(b) The president will not participate in closed deliberations of the hearing board.

(c) The president will be responsible for maintaining adequate communication on Honor system matters with the SGA administrative vice president, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, college deans, departmental liaisons and the President of the University.

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Honor Council Vice-President
The vice president will assume all presidential duties in the absence of the president and will have the following additional duties:

(a) The vice president will serve as a regular voting member of hearing boards.

(b) The vice president will be responsible for organizing all hearing board hearings (including the taping of all hearings and the securing of all tapes).

(c) The vice president will provide assistance to the chairs of special panels and appeal bodies in connection with the organization of those hearings.

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Honor Council Coordinator
The Vice President for Academic Affairs will recommend and the Honor Advisory Board will approve the selection of the Honor Council coordinator, who will report to the Vice President for Academic Affairs or the designated Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. The coordinator will have the following duties:

(a) To handle all major correspondence and administrative matters related to the Honor system except matters assigned to the Honor Council officers and investigators.

(b) To coordinate and supervise the training of all Honor Council members.

(c) To provide assistance to and supervision of investigators in the gathering and presenting of evidence related to an alleged honor violation in a professional and impartial manner.

(d) To approve the appointment of additional volunteer investigators to assist in the gathering and presenting of evidence related to an alleged honor violation.

(e) Along with the investigators, decide whether there is sufficient evidence to charge a student with an honor violation.

(f) To gather and present evidence at hearings during the summer break or other times when investigators are unavailable.

(g) To serve in the role and capacity of adviser to the Honor Council.

(h) To maintain Honor system records and prepare reports for the JMU community.

(i) To determine the proper application of provisions of the Honor system in a manner which upholds the spirit and intent of the Honor system.

(j) To take such other actions as may be authorized from time to time by the Honor Advisory Board or the Vice President for Academic Affairs in order to fulfill the spirit and intent of the Honor system.

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Honor Council Investigators
The investigators are assisted and supervised by the Honor Council coordinator. They are neither prosecutors nor representatives of accused students. They are to act impartially, in a manner that upholds the spirit and intent of the Honor system. Investigators will have the following duties:

(a) The investigators will investigate and gather evidence related to alleged honor violations.

(b) The investigators will decide with the Honor Council coordinator whether there is sufficient evidence to charge a student with an honor violation.

(c) The investigators will provide all relevant evidence at hearings.

(d) The investigators will assume such other duties as may be assigned by the Honor Council president or the coordinator.

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Honor Council Representatives
Student representatives will have those duties assigned from time to time by the officers, including the following:

(a) Representatives will serve on hearing boards and committees when selected to do so and will be responsible for attending all hearings and meetings to which they are assigned.

(b) Representatives will be responsible for communicating with students and faculty members on matters concerning the Honor system.

(c) Representatives will be responsible for actively participating in the development and implementation of special projects, communication methods, and student and faculty orientation to increase both awareness of and support for the Honor system.

Application for a representative position is available on line.

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