Revision of The Code of Conduct
By Krailyn Guymon
On Friday, March 25, at 11 a.m., Southern Virginia University held a special forum to revise the Code of Conduct. This marked the first all-school indoor gathering in two years.
Students gathered in the Knight Arena, waiting for what was going to be announced. Prior to the event, rumors circulated campus that the school might be creating a dress code like Brigham Young University’s, and go more in the direction of what their code of conduct says.
However, Southern Virginia University stayed close to its roots, creatI guess a new and simplified Code of Conduct that stands for itself.
“The revision of the Code of Conduct creates a welcoming and inclusive environment to all students, not just members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints” says Chloe Cochran (‘23).
The University announced the key words of the new Code of Conduct: faithful, honest, and kind.
Faithful
- Be trustworthy and keep promises
- Live a chaste and virtuous life, including abstaining from sexual relations outside of marriage
- Abstain from alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, vaping, and any form of substance abuse
Honest
- Be honest in all things
- Obey the law and follow university policies
- Do not cheat, steal, or plagiarize
Kind
- Be kind and treat all people with dignity and respect
- Use clean language free from profanity, vulgarity, and discriminatory speech
- Do not abuse, bully, harass, or discriminate against others
So, what really changed? Softball Coach Tiffane Pendleton explained that the change was not supposed to be drastic.
“The objective of the revision was to create a clear standard for what is expected at Southern Virginia University, not to change what we are already doing.”
Along with the Code of Conduct came an updated Dress Code, which simply states: “Dress and appearance should be clean, respectful, and appropriate for the occasion.”
Finally, they talked about the Honor Pledge, which was updated to make sure the Code of Conduct is read and followed. It states: “On my honor as a student at Southern Virginia University, I will sincerely strive to live by the University’s Code of Conduct and Dress Code.”
Checkout the updated Code of Conduct, Dress Code and Honor Pledge here.
