Honor, African Drums & Multinational Sheet Cake

Honor, African Drums & Multinational Sheet Cake

"It's real now," the young Sophomore next to me said, before going up to sign next to his name. "Frightened?" I asked him. "No, just awed, I guess."

Last month, we had a celebration where the sophomore class at Ashesi University  (Class of 2017) signed on to the honor code. But before I describe that ceremony, let me back up to an earlier discussion. The crankiest question these sophomores asked Patrick Awuah, their university president, was, "Why do we even bother to vote to join the Honor Code? The Code is such a famous part of Ashesi--we all knew about it when we applied. Shouldn't it be assumed our class is going to join?"

Every Sophomore--about 150 students--signs on. Literally.
photo: (c) Ashesi University

Joining the Honor Code means that every member of the class pledges not to cheat, and to always report anyone they see cheating. (The reporting is the hard part). Once a class has voted to join, their exams will not be proctored. Ashesi's Honor Code is the only one of its kind in Africa.

92% of the Class voted, and all of them agreed to expand the code to: I will not lie, cheat or steal, neither will I tolerate others who do.

It's progress that most of the class joined Ashesi assuming they would sign on. Earlier classes argued vociferously. But Patrick is never one to "assume" that this newest class was going to arrive at Ashesi truly ready to leave behind 12 years where cheating is pretty normal, and teachers often coach students to cheat! Before they get a chance to vote, they spent much of their Freshman year discussing the costs of corruption, practicing (even acting out in skits) ways to stay ethical in sticky situations, and hearing from graduates who assure them that acting with integrity will help their careers in the long run (so don't blow Ashesi's stellar reputation, kids).

Upperclassmen  welcome Class of 2017 to Honor Code

After the vote, there was a ceremony where the upperclassmen welcomed the sophomores onto the code, with lots of drumming at the beginning, speeches, then the actual signing. I asked the young man sitting next to me, as he waited his turn to sign, "How does this feel to you?" He answered, "It's real now," and looked a little frightened. "No, just awed," he assured me. I wished him luck.

Patrick addressing Class of '17, plus U. of Ghana
 volleyball squad who happened to be there.

After the ceremony, I saw a large sheet cake, with writing on it, the sort that's likely to taste bland, and seems a fairly universal sign of a large party with a modest budget. Ghanaians don't eat a lot of sweets, but as I looked at the line for cake, I earnestly hoped there would be a slice for everyone.

A few weeks later, two Freshmen were caught cheating. They went before the JEC--an elected group of students--who voted for their sanction: F in the course. The few infractions each year seem evidence that the code is working.

read the article at www.ashesi.edu.gh