Dear Fellow Hokies,

 I would like to congratulate each and every one of you on your decision to join our university family.  You have recently just completed a very intensive two-day orientation.  I hope you learned a lot from the sessions and feel comfortable returning in a few weeks.  At orientation you learned about the Undergraduate Honor System. 

 The Undergraduate Honor System department is taken very seriously throughout the institution and has some very serious consequences for students who violate the code.  Every student at Virginia Tech lives under the honor pledge, “I have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance on this assignment.”  By applying to Virginia Tech, you have agreed to live under the honor pledge as well.  

I have developed a list of useful hints to protect your academic integrity. 

• Cite all work!  Plagiarism refers to words, ideas, and thoughts.  It also makes up 70% of our caseload. 
• Check the syllabus for each instructor’s specific honor policy.  Professors usually tailor the honor pledge to their specific class needs. 
• Protect your work on all public computers!!  Never save work to a public computer, anyone can come behind you and find your work.
• Practice proper test-taking techniques!  Don’t leave your work vulnerable to someone’s wandering eyes.
• Check with your professors about using outside materials.  Some professors do not want students using previous classes’ test and solution manuals. 
• Ask your professor! If you have a question about what the professor allows, ask first!  Every professor is different!
• Familiarize yourself with the Undergraduate Honor System.  I am attaching our Constitution and I encourage you to also check out our website, www.honorsystem.vt.edu.
• Get involved on the honor system! We accept applications continuously; your eligibility begins your second semester at Tech.  This is an opportunity to learn more about the honor system and to give valuable input. 

 These are just a few pieces of advice from a fellow student!  I am challenging you to come to campus in August with a commitment to your studies and to maintaining the academic integrity of our institution.  You have four years of hard work ahead of you, take that seriously and when you walk across that graduation stage I truly hope you are proud of yourself for earning that degree on your own. 

 In conclusion, I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer and come to Virginia Tech ready to grow, learn, and have fun!  We are Virginia Tech!

Very Respectfully,

Billy Brubaker, Chief Justice

Undergraduate Honor System