The history of the ASUPS Honor Court was unearthed through archival research in the spring semester of 2023 in celebration of its centennial anniversary. The 1923 edition of Tamanawas notes how “special attention” was paid during the 1922-1923 school year to the restructuring of the student government, culminating in the adoption of the Honor Court’s predecessor, the Student Judiciary Council. It was not until the 1926-1927 school year that an Honor Code was created by the associated students under the Huseby and Longstreth Administration (1926-1927), who argued “in recognition of the fact that dishonesty is practiced among a number of students of this institution,” that a program be created to “uphold the honor of the institution.” This laid out a foundation for the Honor Code (now Student Integrity Code) and System of Enforcement (now the ASUPS Honor Court).
Over the years, the Court grew and changed in structure. Many of the tenants, guidelines, and procedures were formalized and strengthened by the students of the Puget Sound’s School of Law. In addition to Honor Court hearings, the Integrity Board was introduced as a hearing venue for violations of the Student Integrity Code. The Integrity Board and Administrative Hearings remain the most popular options for investigations regarding the Integrity Code, while the Honor Court strictly oversees matters of the ASUPS Constitution and Bylaws.
The official body of the Honor Court is owned by the Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound (ASUPS), but also works in collaboration with the Office of Rights & Responsibilities. As the adjudicating body of the University, the Honor Court is charged by the ASUPS Constitution and Bylaws, as well as the Honor Court Reference Manual. The Honor Court also acts as the third entity of the ASUPS, the Judicial Branch of the Associated Students.
To learn more about the History of Honor Court you can read A Parallel Institution: Honor Courts, Codes, and the Creation of Campus Integrity written by 2021-2023 Chief Justice Paige Saller ’23.