Mr. Steve McKibben, dean of community life, announced plans to create an Honor Code Committee during auditorium on February 21. Creating a committee is the first step to completing a draft of the code.

The Honor Code Committee will consist of two students from each class, along with Mr. Marcus Christian, instructor in English, Mrs. Carmen Dockery-Perkins, instructor in Spanish, Mr. Charles Frankenbach, head of the English department, and Mr. Pierre Yoo, instructor in chemistry.

All students had the option to apply for the committee, and student representatives will be elected by their classmates. Mr. McKibben said, “While I may be initiating this process, I think that it is important that the students are the ones driving it.”

For inspiration, committee members will research existing honor codes in universities and secondary schools. The purpose of the research is to learn how institutions have successfully created and maintained honor codes.

After completing a draft of the code, the committee will share it and accept feedback from the entire community, including students, faculty, alumni, and staff. Mr. McKibben said, “What we are talking about here is culture change and an opportunity to coalesce the values that we have and practice but maybe are not articulated in a coherent expression of integrity.”

Once it is finalized, the code will be proposed to the Board of Trustees for adoption. Nicole Ocampo-Montoya ’23 said, “I think that the Honor Code committee will present an opportunity for Hotchkiss students to be better guided morally and as a result, create a safer and more welcoming environment. I think we just need a little help being better people and an honor [code] will help us with that.”

Applications for the committee were due on February 28, and Mr. McKibben aims to have the code completed by early next year.