The Honor Code

The Honor Code


Although many view Honor Code restrictions such as overnight camping trips with the opposite gender as wholesome activities, the Honor Code Office has deemed this and other seemingly innocent activities inappropriate for BYU students. I recently read an article from an author who viewed these new additions as “micromanagement” and wondered what happened to the famous quote by Joseph Smith: “I teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves.” So why, then, do we have all these rules? What does BYU possibly have to gain by imposing so many inconsequential rules onto its students? Contrary to popular belief, the point of the Honor Code is not to aggravate already stressed students, nor is it to further establish its dominating presence over all who are obliged to obey. Rather, the object of the Honor Code (and any rule and Commandment for that matter) is to protect, to teach, and to discipline, so that students can more wisely make good decisions for themselves in the years to come.

First, let’s take the recent addition of the rule “no overnight camping trips with the opposite sex” to the Honor Code as our example. There are many who feel that this new rule is particularly imperious and unnecessary, and is therefore not worth keeping. It is highly unlikely, however, that our BYU leaders sit around large tables in dark basements, devising newer and more superfluous rules they can impose on us while drinking pickle juice and arguing over whose family line is more directly linked to Hitler. Assuming our leaders do not hold such conferences, surely this new rule must serve some constructive purpose aimed at benefiting us in some small way? In fact, all of BYU’s rules serve at least one undeniable purpose—to teach us what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior of a BYU student. Whether it be who you can spend a night in the woods with or what not to ingest into your body, BYU students quickly learn what is expected of them and that knowledge is largely instilled by the Honor Code. There are some people who honestly don’t know that it’s dangerous to go camping in the woods overnight, or who don’t understand why they shouldn’t drink alcohol and do drugs. The Honor Code is tailored to those people so they can have structure in their lives and quickly learn the necessary things to help them succeed at BYU.

Also, the Honor Code helps protect innocent people from harm. A lot of students are relieved upon arriving in Provo, believing it to be a “bubble” filled only with good people who only do good things. This is a dangerous and potentially fatal assumption. Although it is true that Provo is saturated with good LDS culture and ideology, it is just as dangerous a place for young people as any other city in America. According to a recent FBI report, Provo’s forcible rape rate is actually higher than the national rate (Whittle, Heather. “Provo Crime Statistics Measure City Against National Average.” Daily Universe. Brigham Young University, Provo. Web. 23 September 2009). I’m not saying that every overnight camping trip invariably leads to rape, but it’s a big issue that many students are unaware of due to their faith in others here at BYU. Because of this false security that many are lulled into, it’s necessary for our leaders to sound a warning to those who might believe spending a night in the woods with a friend (or in a group) is a perfectly safe and innocent activity.

Lastly, BYU is a school known around America for its high standards. Those standards would quickly plummet if there was no Code for which to measure up to; it would be nearly impossible to tell which students were helping to keep the standards of BYU high and which ones weren’t. Concrete rules are necessary to ensure that the principles BYU was founded upon stay firm and don’t fluctuate with personal interpretation. This helps us students know how to keep BYU’s reputation true. Additionally, these firm rules must contractually be agreed to in order for a prospective student to enter BYU. This means that they know the rules, and have already agreed to the consequences in the case they are caught breaking those rules. Just like laws of a country, the Honor Code is a fair way to make sure everyone knows what is expected of them and what the consequences are if you’re found breaking those rules. In effect, the Honor Code is the means by which BYU can impartially and justly discipline its students.

Rules presented in our beloved Honor Code are the tools with which our leaders teach us correct principles so we can govern ourselves responsibly in our post-BYU years. Fortunately, we won’t continue to be subject to an Honor Code Office after graduation, at which point I plan on tossing my Mach 3® and watching to see how long my beard can get. Until then, however, I am proud to uphold the principles that have made BYU such a great university, no matter how silly or impractical they might seem.