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Church Educational System Honor Code

Office of Honor, ACR 136, (808) 675-3493

Brigham Young University–Hawaii (BYU–Hawaii) and other Church Educational System institutions exist to provide an education in an atmosphere consistent with the ideals and principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That atmosphere is created and preserved by a community of faculty, administration, staff, and students who voluntarily commit to conduct their lives in accordance with the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ and who strive to maintain the highest standards in their personal conduct regarding honor, integrity, morality, and consideration for others. By accepting appointment, continuing in employment, being admitted, or continuing class enrollment, each member of the BYU–Hawaii community personally commits to observe these Honor Code standards approved by the Board of Trustees “at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9)

  • Be honest.
  • Live a chaste and virtuous life, including abstaining from any sexual relations outside a marriage between a man and a woman.
  • Respect others, including the avoidance of profane and vulgar language
  • Obey the law and all campus policies.
  • Abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, vaping, and substance abuse.
  • Participate regularly in church services (required only of Church members).
  • Observe BYU–Hawaii’s dress and grooming standards.
  • Encourage others in their commitment to comply with the Honor Code.

Specific policies embodied in the Honor Code include (1) Academic Honesty, (2) Ecclesiastical Endorsement, (3) Residential Living Standards, and (4) Dress and Grooming Standards. You can also learn more about the BYU–Hawaii Honor Code at Honor Code.

Academic Honesty

The first injunction of the BYU–Hawaii Honor Code is the call to “be honest.” Students come to the university not only to improve their minds, gain knowledge, and develop skills that will assist them in their life’s work, but also to build character. President David O. McKay taught that “character is the aim of true education, and science, history, and literature are but the means used to accomplish this desired end. Character is not the result of chance, but of continuous right thinking and right acting” (Why Education? David O.McKay, Improvement Era, Vol.70, No.9, September 1967). The purpose of the academic honesty policy is to assist in fulfilling that goal.

BYU–Hawaii students should seek to be honest in their dealings with others. They are required to complete their own work and be evaluated based upon that work. They are required to avoid academic dishonesty and misconduct in all its forms, including but not limited to plagiarism, fabrication or falsification, cheating, and other academic misconduct.

Learn more about plagiarism, fabrication or falsification, cheating, and other academic misconduct on the Academic Honesty page.

Learn about applicable actions for instructors, programs, faculties, the university, and Office of Honor and shared responsibility, faculty responsibility for academic integrity, and faculty academic integrity on the Academic Honesty page.

Ecclesiastical Endorsement

All new and returning (students returning from a break from school for any reason including mission, suspension of any kind, etc.), continuing, intern, or study abroad students must obtain an ecclesiastical endorsement through their current bishop or university chaplain. The endorsement must be renewed annually at the beginning of each calendar year and kept current in order for a student to continue enrollment at BYU–Hawaii. Learn more about the ecclesiastical endorsement at the Ecclesiastical Endorsement page.

New or returning students can learn more about the ecclesiastical endorsement process on the Endorsement page.

Continuing (current) students can learn more about the ecclesiastical endorsement process and the timeline on the Endorsement page. Information about withdrawn endorsements, readmission, and exceptions is available at this link.

Residential Living Standards

Residential Living Standards at BYU–Hawaii are based upon the belief that not all learning occurs in the classroom. Much can be learned in our places of worship, where we work, play, and live. It is to be noted that some conduct that may have been appropriate in the living situations where students resided before they arrived at the university may not always be appropriate or approved for residential living at BYU–Hawaii.

Residential living standards foster respect for, cooperation with, and support of others. They allow roommates from diverse backgrounds to live together in harmony and peace, and learn under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

BYU–Hawaii is committed to providing a learning atmosphere consistent with the principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The university is likewise committed to creating such an atmosphere for students residing on and off-campus and between semesters. To achieve this, BYU–Hawaii has established living standards to help students learn some of the high ideals and principles of behavior expected at the university. Therefore, BYU–Hawaii requires students to adhere to the following standards – conduct, on campus and off campus.

Learn more about conduct, on-campus, off-campus living standards on the Honor Code website.

Dress and Grooming Standards

The attire and grooming of both men and women should always be modest, neat, and clean. It should also be consistent with the dignity of a representative of BYU–Hawaii and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Modesty appropriateness and cleanliness are important values that reflect personal dignity and integrity, through which students, staff, and faculty represent the principles and standards of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members of the BYU–Hawaii ‘ohana commit themselves to observe these standards, which reflect the direction given by the Board of Trustees and the Church publication, “For the Strength of Youth.”

Learn more about general dress standards, grooming standards for men, exceptions to clean shaving, grooming standards for women, dress for exercise or sports participation, and dress for the beach on the Dress and Grooming page.

Non-academic Discipline

Students who have violated university standards, policies, and/or rules and regulations will be subject to nonacademic discipline. This may include one or more of the following: fines, community service, loss of privileges, nonacademic probation for a specified period of time, being counseled out (voluntary withdrawal), suspension (involuntary withdrawal for a specified period of time), or dismissal (permanent, involuntary withdrawal).

Students who are counseled out, suspended, or leave the university with unresolved non-academic problems will be encumbered and notices of the encumbrances sent to all the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints church schools. They will be required to obtain clearance from the BYU–Hawaii University Office of Honor before they can be considered for readmission. Expelled students will have the expulsion noted on their permanent record files and notices of their expulsion sent to all the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints church schools.

Students placed in one of the above categories have the right for an Honor Code Administrative Review.  Generally, the university will follow procedures outlined in the Administrative Review policy. However, any departure from these procedures will not act to invalidate the decisions made by the university, provided the procedures followed were fundamentally fair, given the facts and circumstances of the case.

The Administrative Review Process is under the direction of the Student Life Vice-President. The Office of General Counsel may advise university personnel involved in the Administrative Review anytime during the process as to matters of university policy and the procedure relevant to the deliberations. No review decision contrary to, or as an exception to, university policy will be implemented without the written approval of the Student Life Vice President.

A student applying for an Honor Code Administrative Review will not be restricted in or excluded from class attendance or participation in any university functions and activities during the review process unless the university determines that such attendance and/or participation is likely to be disruptive or pose a substantial threat to the well-being or personal safety of the student or others. In those cases, the Director of Campus Life will advise the student of any restrictions and/or exclusions, pending the outcome of the review.

A student may, at any time during the review process, request permission to voluntarily withdraw from the university. Generally, such a request can be granted if there has been no violation of the law and such action would not compromise the integrity of the university. If the Director of Campus Life approves the request, he or she will discontinue the review process and allow the student to withdraw without any official action being taken or noted on the student’s official university records.

Requesting a Review

The student may request a review of the Office of Honor or university decision if the student (1) claims innocence, (2) claims the decision was unreasonable based upon substantiated facts, (3) claims that mitigating facts and circumstances were not fairly considered in making the decision, and/or (4) claims the university did not follow its procedures and as a result reached an unfair decision.

In order for students who have been on academic or non-academic suspension to be readmitted, they must follow the steps listed under admissions for returning students. BYU–Hawaii complies with and fully supports the federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1989.

For more information about the Honor Code Administrative Review process go to Related Procedures on the Office of Honor website on the Related Procedures page.