A Tradition of Civility and Honor

On My Honor...
At Hampden-Sydney College, the word honor describes a way of life. For nearly two and a half centuries, students at Hampden-Sydney have subscribed to two basic statements
of honorable behavior, thereby assuring that the College community remains a safe and dignified place in which to learn and grow.

The first principle is the Code of Conduct, under which Hampden-Sydney students promise to treat each other, members of the College community, and everyone else they meet as they would like to be treated themselves. This principle is as valuable today as when it was simply stated in the early nineteenth century.

The second principle is the Honor Code. The Honor Code defines all of a student's interactions-academic, professional, and social. The Honor Code applies in all times and in all places. By agreeing to follow the Honor Code, students let each other and the College know that they have no intention of advancing their own interests by underhanded or illegal means. The Honor Code should not, however, be viewed as a set of rules. It espouses a set of ethical principles which make it possible for all to live in a community of mutual trust and respect. These principles, constantly practiced as a student, will be internalized and become the core of one's lifelong ethical standards.

These two principles continue to govern the behavior of Hampden-Sydney students, allowing the College community to operate with trust and respect. More explicit formulations of these principles in the rules and policies of the Student Justice System are presented in Section 4 of The Key and in the Academic Catalogue. Every student should become familiar with those versions as well.

There are also a few less formal traditions on campus. One that promotes civility is the expectation that a Hampden-Sydney student will speak to everyone he meets.