Introduction

The Honor System at Caltech is distinguished by its success. Its operation allows an atmosphere of trust to exist on this campus which confers many freedoms as well as responsibilities on the members of the community. Included in the Caltech community are the students, staff, members of the faculty, and administrators. Administration of the Honor System, as it affects students, is primarily performed by two student bodies-the Graduate Review Board (GRB) (graduate students) and the Board of Control (BOC) (undergraduates).

This booklet has been prepared by the Graduate Review Board to acquaint graduate students with the benefits and obligations of the Honor System. Please read it. It is important for you to understand the philosophy and practice of the Honor System.

Key Points of the Caltech Honor System

1. The Honor System is based on the following principle: Never take unfair advantage of any other member of the Caltech community. To do so is a violation of the Honor System.
2. The Honor System is binding on us all. By enrolling at Caltech, you have agreed to abide by the Honor System. Nobody is above the Honor System.
3. Ignorance of the rules is not an excuse. You are responsible for learning about the principles and practices of the Honor System as it applies to you.
4. The Honor System covers all academic and a wide range of non-academic areas.
5. Nearly all benefits of the Honor System stem from the ability to trust and be trusted by others.
6. The Graduate Review Board (GRB) and the Board of Control (BOC) work together as two branches of the same Honor System.
7. The goal of the Honor Boards when reviewing suspected violations is to reintegrate the individuals into the Honor System and not to punish them.
8. Strict confidentiality is observed in all Honor System proceedings. Breaches of secrecy by other than the defendant are Honor System violations.
9. All individuals are presumed innocent until found guilty.
10. Suspension or expulsion are possible consequences of violations. They are only invoked in the rare case when one has repeatedly demonstrated an inability to live within the Honor System or has committed a particularly grave violation.
11. To report a suspected violation:
    1. If the suspect is a graduate student, contact the GRB Chair by phone or by mail. The Chair name, mail code, and telephone extension can be obtained from the Techinque, the Caltech Personnel Directory under the heading Honor System, or from the Graduate Office. You can send e-mail to grbchair@its.
    2. If the suspected violator is an undergraduate, contact the BOC Chairman (the ASCIT Vice-President) at either the address shown under Honor System in the Personnel Directory or via the Dean's Office. You can send email to boc-chair@ugcs.
12. Failure to report a suspected violation may itself be a violation unless it can be shown that the best interests of the Honor System have been served.
13. About master keys:
    1. Possession of a master key is not a violation of the Honor System. However, unauthorized entry into any room is considered a violation. Authorization consists of explicit permission from the proper person to enter that particular room at that time.
    2. Thefts and vandalism have occurred when Caltech master keys have come into the possession of thieves. Because of this, allowing a master key to fall into the hands of someone not associated with Caltech is a very grave action and will be treated severely.
14. There are several libraries on campus. Their regulations are not completely uniform. The variations exist to maximize the accessibility of information to the entire Caltech community. Failure to adhere to library use regulations results in the taking of unfair advantage of others and therefore is an Honor System violation.
15. Seek permission and proper instruction in the use of any computing, photocopying, or laboratory equipment. Failure to do so may result in loss of data critical to someone's thesis or publication and may constitute a violation of the Honor System.
16. Student interactions with outside agencies are not considered to be within the jurisdiction of the Honor System. Neither the GRB nor the Institute will intercede on behalf of any graduate student against whom legal action has been brought by such external agencies.

The Honor System comprises far more than this list. The remainder of this booklet, members of the GRB, and the Dean of Graduate Studies are excellent sources of information about the Honor System. We urge you to consult any of these sources of information should you have questions about your conduct or the conduct of others under the Honor System.