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The following is excerpted from KSL. To read the full article, CLICK HERE. Cover image via BYU.edu.

Following student criticism of the Honor Code Office at BYU, the head of the program announced sweeping changes to the office’s policies Tuesday.

Honor Code Office Director Kevin Utt promised an increase in transparency for his office in a letter to students posted on BYU’s website Tuesday.

The Honor Code asks BYU students to abide by certain living standards, including abstaining from alcohol, drugs and premarital sex. The code also asks students at the private university, which is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to follow certain dress and grooming standards.

Three main changes will aim to improve the transparency of the office, Utt said in the letter.

  • When students are called into the Honor Code Office, they will know why they were called in, as well as the nature of the reported violation, at the start of their first meeting in the office, Utt said.
  • Students who have been called into the office will also be told the name of the person who reported the violation, according to Utt’s letter. That excludes “situations where it is a matter of safety to a member of our campus community,” he said.
  • The third major change announced Tuesday will give students an explanation about what the Honor Code Office’s investigation will include when they are called to the office, Utt said. They will also be informed of support resources available to them throughout the process, he said.

To read the full article on KSL, CLICK HERE.