Be an Honorable Postechian!
Be an Honorable Postechian!
  • Reporter Shin Chang-ho
  • 승인 2009.12.09 15:51
  • 댓글 0
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If you are a Postechian, you must have experienced writing something called the ‘Honor Code’ on the first page of an examination’s answer sheet. It is curious to ponder how many Postechians recognize what it means. As we enter the week of final exams, let’s take a deep look at the ‘Honor System’.

▣ What is the Honor System?
The Honor System refers the self-regulating agreement for students themselves to keep their honor. There seems to be a little difference in meaning between universities, but it is agreed that this system encourages a student to be a person of conscience especially in relation to studies. This is Postechians’ Honor Code: ‘Honesty and respect for others ensure Postechians an honorable future.’

▣ The History of the Honor System
Under the inspiration of Duke University’s first trial of honor system, some universities like Stanford and CALTECH have started to drive forward with plans to spread an honorable mind. In the case of Duke University, strict discipline and prompt punishment were the order of the day in the past, with all decisions being made by the administration and the faculty. Against this situation, there grew an indication that the student could be trusted by putting him on his honor to obey the regulations of the college in 1879. That is the beginning of honor systems. Most disciplinary actions at Stanford come from a violation of its 1921 Honor Code and CALTECH made honor system handbooks that explain every detail of cases of violation just in case there are ambiguous particulars to be determined.

POSTECH started to let the honor system take strong root within the campus itself in 1998, the year of abolition of the freshmen pledge which had forced students not to participate in the political issues. As a result, the Student Union had failed to put those ideas into practice till 2001. At that moment, the 16th Student Union launched the Honor System Preparatory Committee, promoting this system. During the 22nd Student Union’s current term, the name of the Honor System has changed to Honor Culture, with the thought that the word ‘system’ may sound jarring and that this honorable mind should be the culture of POSTECH.

▣ The Future of the POSTECH Honor System
These days, the social climate putting the most emphasis not on the process, but only on the result, has made students suffer discord as to whether an honorable mind should be kept or not. But on the way to reaching world-class university status, high morality and honesty must be considered second to nothing, and that’s why we need this system. The fact that Duke University took a century to firmly establish  its honor system tells that the future of the POSTECH Honor System is not only the problem of one Student Union, but that of all future Postechians.