By NOELLE BARKE
BYU students seeking ecclesiastical endorsements for the 1996-97 school year will now be required to write a statement expressing their thoughts on the Honor Code in addition to giving their signature of commitment to the university’s code of conduct.
The endorsement forms have been adjusted, leaving a blank portion for students to write a few sentences explaining what the Dress and Grooming and Residential Living Standards of BYU mean in the students’ personal lives and in their commitment to others both on and off campus.
It becomes a sacred responsibility when students sign their name giving their commitment to the Honor Code. That becomes an issue of honor, the basis of one’s integrity and character, said Student Life Vice President Alton Wade.
“The statements should be sincere, sharing the student’s feelings,” said Rush Sumpter, director of the Honor Code Office.
The central reason the endorsements have been changed is to increase awareness among students of the lifestyle they are expected to abide by while attending BYU in hopes that students will continue to act as representatives of the university and church as they go out into the world after graduation.
“We do care very much about their (student’s) attitude. It’s not just an exercise in futility,” Wade said.
Sumpter explained that often times when students have been referred to the Honor Code Council for dress and grooming violations, they have said that they were unaware of being in violation of the Honor Code.
Sumpter said the only reason for including the statement portion of the endorsement is to ensure that students are aware of the standards they committed to when they signed the Honor Code. He added that the endorsement change is disassociated with the current shorts issue on campus.
Students are asked to fill out the written portion of the endorsement form prior to meeting with their Winter Semester bishops.
“We’ve received such wonderful responses from the bishops. They’re pleased with it; it gives them a place to start the interview and to use as a point of reference,” said Jeannie Papic, endorsement specialist.
The presiding bishop has full jurisdiction over signing the endorsements. If a student writes negative comments regarding the Honor Code or university as a whole, the bishop will proceed to counsel with the student over such matters. Bishops do have the authority to deny students an endorsement if they believe the student to be unworthy to attend BYU.
Sumpter said the Honor Code Office may run a correlation analysis between the people who are referred to the office for being in violation of the Honor Code and the statements they wrote on their endorsements.
“Our gravest concern is the $20.00 late fee … It’s a shame when they have to pay the late fee if things don’t work out,” Sumpter said.
Students involved in graduate or off-campus programs are also required to turn in ecclesiastical endorsement forms. This includes participants in the Washington Seminar and Study Abroad programs as well as students taking courses from the BYU Salt Lake Center or Jerusalem Center.
Last year there were just under 2,000 endorsements turned in past the deadline. The endorsements are due April 1 and the Honor Code Office has already processed around 200.
“They have all been very thoughtful, well written, positive responses. I haven’t had even one student say anything to me about the endorsement statement that was negative,” Papic said.
“We’ve received some wonderful statements. I feel the spirit when I read those statements. I’m not surprised I feel that way because I know how good those students are,” Sumpter said.
Ecclesiastical endorsement forms are available at the Wilkinson Center and Abraham Smoot Building information desks, the Honor Code Office, in the Winter 1996 class schedule or from campus ward bishops.
