Present: Bozak, Jalife, Knowles, LeBlanc, Murphy, Nichols, Shaffer

* Minutes of October 17 were reviewed

* Request to chairs to remind faculty of the need to report and asking for teaching tips was sent out after the last meeting.

* The bulk of the meeting found the committee struggling with wording that would yield a relatively short pledge. We started with the Christopher Newport University pledge:

"On my honor, I will maintain the highest possible standards of honesty, integrity and personal responsibility;
that means I will not lie, cheat, or steal;
and as a member of this academic community I am committed to creating an environment of respect and mutual trust."

We liked the sense of it but felt the second line could be left off. Gwen Kay (via email) felt we could lop off the last statement and that echoed the sense of some others.

We didn't know what the "highest possible standard" of integrity might be and we were concerned that students should be developing a personal set of values thus it would be hard as an incoming student to maintain what they do not yet possess.

"I pledge to" do what? act? behave? conduct myself? pursue? value? 

Should we replace pledge with commit? What is the definition of pledge? of honor?

We have two campus statements on integrity - one in the sesquicentennial plan and the other in the graduation outcomes (Recognize, value and uphold high personal and professional ethical standards) and we should not go too far astray from these campus statements already (practically) adopted.

"On my honor and as a member of the SUNY Oswego community, I pledge..." explicitly refers to our community.

Two concepts seemed important - integrity and responsibility.

We certainly want a short and cogent statement for the pledge, where we can further explicate what is meant by pledge and honor and such...

Pledge doesn't refer to fraternities/sororities...

It was suggested that we involve Jean Chambers. Perhaps she or a class of hers could write a pledge.

For next meeting, ponder and suggest to the list wording for the pledge, or for parts of the pledge.

Respectfully submitted,

-David Bozak