Letters to the Editor
differ from our own.
My first reaction - you saw my face ~ to
Friday's demonstration was shock. I'm a
wordy person; I'd have thought talking
better than sitting. But reflecting has
changed my mind.
The antidote to rumor is silence.
The way out of the clamor of contradic
tion is aflirming otir agreement about simple
principles, self-governance, an honor sys
tem without taint, and impartial treatment
for all.
So Icmg as we know that integrity of truth
does not mean imanmity of judgment, we
can deal with each ottier in trust. Jayne and
Martha Ann can leave here trusting the
code and the persons by and with whom
they have lived; I can stay here confident
that the students can trust me.
Whoever conceived the silent demon
stration had a splendid idea. It was not a
wasted day, but one very good for us all. I
am grateful that I had a chance to take part.
Susan Gilbert
Dear Editor,
I am really disturbed about the decision
made by President Weems concerning the
recent Honor Council case. I feel that he
made a partial decision since he has an
affiliation with the student's parents. If he
felt he would have made a partial decision,
he should have had someone else make it
for him. This put Dr. Weems in a bad light
on campus and made many students hos
tile. If it had been any other student on this
campus whose parents don’t hold a title,
that student would have had a different
penalty given to her. 1 thought this was a
school which was supposed to treat all
students equally and one which was sup
posed to let the students govern the student
body, but obviously I was wrong. This
whole thing makes me question the effec
tiveness of our government on school
grounds and the integrity of our Honor
Code. I can’t believe that someone who is
a representative of the Honor Council for
the sophomore class has the nerve to do
something like this. She should know bet
ter!
I am a student who got five weeks cam
pus and probation for one semester, be
cause I incriminated myself. I was acting as
a witness in a trial and diought I was helping
the Honor Council by telling the truth;
iostead, I had to have a trial based on what
I said. It was a case involving alcohol,
where the two students for whom I was
being a witness had bottles of liquor foimd
either in their car or in their room. I had no
evidence; nothing was found in my room or
in my car. 1 said that I did have alcohol on
campus at one time though. So has a
number of girls on this campus. I got the
same amount of punishment as the other
two students. If one of my parents held a
position in the hierarchy of Meredith, would
my case have been any different? Would I
have had a lesser sentence than I had? I just
don't see the fairness in it all.
The student in the recent Honor Council
case got probation for two semesters, a
reverse campus, and she must write a three
page paper on academic dishonesty and the
Honor Code at Meredith. I heard that she is
co-oping this semester, so she has no need
to come on campus. Is this true punish
ment? Is it really affecting her? No! Not
at all! Probation is not really a big thing.
You are more aware of what you’re doing
than before, but because of that awareness,
you are more cautious of what you do and
think twice before you do it. As far as
reverse campus, she can still go out and
have a social life. When you’re stuck on
campus, it makes you think a lot about what
you've done and you learn a lesson the hard
way. And a three page paper —WOW!
That's real hard! AU she has to do is make
up a good paper, submit it, and she’s done.
I see no punishment in her penalty, and I
think that she got off easy. A suspension
would have made her think about what she
did whereas what she got will give her the
attitude of “do something wrong and got off
scot-free because of ties with the Presi
dent." Sad thing is that connections at
Meredith will not help her throughout her
life, and what will she do when she has no
ties to what it is she got in trouble for? Give
her something to make her learn the hard
way — make it a harsh punishment if you
have to, but don’t make a partial decision.
Think about the dishonest Honor Code
violation she committed and what she got
for it. I wish I could *ve been that lucky.
Amy Aldridge
Dear Editor,
I am extremely disturbed by the recent
Honor Council case. This issue has left me
both shocked and outraged. When I was in
high school, Meredith College was the
college for me. It was the only place I
wanted to go. Meredith’s strong heritage
pulled me here and now I wonder where
that beautiful heritage has gone. President
Weems brofes the bonds this heritage formed
between the student body and the college. I
have always fiercely defended this college
as an excellent academic institution. I have
sung her praises to other young women —
telling them of Meredith's close commu
nity and high standards. And now I feel
betrayed. I am now forced to realize that I
attend a college whose President reinforces
academic dishonesty, for that is exactly
what President Weems has done. It would
seem that Meredith has two Honor Codes
— one for the ordinary populace and an
other for the daughters of those who work
here. President Weems made a poor choice
and his choice is inexcusable. Just because
this young woman has close ties to this
college and shows promise for a bright
fiiture is no reason to pardon her crime.
Meredith students as a whole have great
potential. This young woman is not an
exception. She knowingly violated the
Honor Code and should suffer the penalty
any other student would. This case has
irreparably damaged the value I placed in
the Honor Code. Because of this recent
event, I can not in good conscience recom
mend Meredith College as a college which
stresses academics, for I have seen in Presi
dent Weem’s actions that it does not.
Shelli E. Stoker
Dear Editor;
As students of Meredith College, we are
deeply concerned about the recent Honor
Code violation in question. Considering
that S.G.A. is our student government, we
fully support them in this matter.
Meredith College revolves around a
strong Honor Code, but there seems to be a
misconception about this system. Tlie
Honor Code System is here for the protec
tion and well-being of Meredith College
students; however, there must be consis
tency in this system. Without this consis-