As a second year student at a small, private university, I've learned that my college experience is a little bit different than my friends attending large universities.
On the day of freshmen move in at Queens, all of the freshmen and transfer students file into the auditorium to the Sed Ministrare Ceremony. (Our university motto is "Non ministrari, sed ministrare," or "Not to be served, but to serve.") At this ceremony, the new students sign the honor code and become a part of the Queens community. The students get introduced to the President of the university and some other guest speakers.
While some universities may share this tradition, the Honor Code at Queens goes deeper than a freshmen experience to check off during Welcome Week. The Honor Code covers plagiarism, drug and alcohol violations, violence and harassment and academic dishonesty, among other things. Aside from a statement that students have to sign during exams, the honor code is a constant reminder and motivator for students to do their best and to do so honestly. After receiving an honor code violation, a student will go in front of the Queens Honor Council, a panel of staff and students who determine the consequences of a violation. In extreme cases, violations can result in suspension, dismissal, or even expulsion.
The strength of the Queens Honor Code became really clear to me during the spring semester of my freshman year. On the first day of classes, one of my professors told us that if we missed class with a fake excuse that we were "sick," we were at risk of an Honor Code violation if she saw us walking around campus that day completely fine. At that moment, I realized how much the Honor Code shaped the integrity of the Queens community. We all hold each other responsible to be our best.
As a sophomore returning to Queens, I was able to attend the Class of 2020's Sed Ministrare ceremony. It reminded me of the uniqueness that a small, liberal arts university has given me. I'm grateful for the integrity, community, reliability, and responsibility that Queens builds and strives to uphold on its campus.
Students often say that they want to grow and evolve during their time at college, and I definitely feel that Queens has challenged me to do so. Beyond the Honor Code, the Queens motto encourages service, and after a year at Queens, I can tell that the members of this campus are a group of people that truly value giving back to the community, whether it's lunch buddies with a local elementary school or a summer in service.
It always amazes me when I speak to friends from other, larger universities where the honor code is just a blip on their radar. I couldn't imagine attending a university where I don't know the standards that I'm held to. The importance Honor Code is one of the many things that makes Queens a unique experience, and I'm so grateful to have the well rounded college experience that Queens offers.
