BYU announces Honor Code Office updates in new letter to students
May 14, 2019, 1:31 PM | Updated: 1:57 pm
Students at BYU made signs in protest of the Honor Code Office's policies earlier this spring. Photos: Dan Bammes
PROVO — BYU officials have announced updates to the school’s Honor Code Office in a new letter addressed to students on the school website.
BYU’s Honor Code Office leadership has been meeting with students for several months regarding concerns about Honor Code Office processes. In a letter sent to students today, HCO Director Kevin Utt explains some of the changes that have been made to date: https://t.co/yBtgCx4pjD
— BYU (@BYU) May 14, 2019
The letter, written by Brigham Young University Honor Code Office Director Kevin Utt, promised more transparency with students. The key changes included making it clear to a student why they have been called into the Honor Code Office, who reported the violation except in “situations where it is a matter of safety to a member of our campus community,” and informing a student what the investigation will include and what resources are available to them during the process.
Utt wrote that the changes came after meeting with hundreds of students in the past few months.
“I want students to be respected and treated fairly throughout their interaction with this office. I understand the concerns that have been raised with some of our procedures, which we will continue to address in the months ahead. The constructive dialogue that I and others are having with students is helpful as we continue to refine our policies, trainings and practices,” Utt wrote.
The announcement comes after an Instagram account highlighted anonymous student stories of their alleged experiences with the Honor Code Office and went viral this spring. Some students also protested on campus.
