“As a Wellesley College student, I will act with honesty, integrity, and respect. In making this commitment, I am accountable to the community and dedicate myself to a life of honor.”
The heart of the Wellesley College mission is disclosed through the making of this promise. Becoming a member of the Wellesley College community is a conscious choice to uphold the values of the Honor Code; to share in the responsibility of fostering an environment in which the goals of a liberal arts education may be fulfilled. It is the responsibility of each member of the community to act with honesty, integrity, and respect to self, others, and the community at large. Students commit to be their best selves, resolve to admit to and learn from mistakes, and ready themselves to learn with and from others.
The assumption that Wellesley College students are trustworthy confers a number of privileges, the most readily discernible of which are non-proctored take-home exams and self-scheduled final exams. A less tangible but more far-reaching privilege is the involvement of students in dialogue across the institution and self-governance within it.
The Honor Code system contains the formal procedures in place to maintain accountability when breaches of the Code of Student Conduct, and thus the Honor Code, occur. The Honor Code system is designed to provide fundamental fairness in responding to alleged violations of the Code of Student Conduct and spirit of the Honor Code. The Code of Student Conduct is intended to strengthen and clarify the application of the Honor Code and its values, and therefore a violation of the Code of Student Conduct is also a violation of the Honor Code.
All students share responsibility for the preservation of the Honor Code. Students are encouraged to bring Honor Code and Code of Student Conduct related queries to the Chief Justice and the Administrative Coordinator of the Honor Code Council.