B-School Students Approve Code

About 75 percent of Harvard Business School students approved the adoption of the School's first-ever honor code earlier this month.

The vote, held on April 29 and May 2, makes possible implementation of the code as soon as next year.

The school's Honor Committee plans to educate the student body about the implementation of the code and amend the code's definitions and interpretation based on student feedback, according to The Harbus News.

The Honor Committee drafted the code to combat what some perceive as ethical problems among Business School students.

According to a 1992 Wall Street Journal report, a candidate for office in the school's finance club was accused of stuffing the ballot boxes.

The result of two years' work, the code reflects the Business School's increasing emphasis on ethics, according to Charles T. Lelon '86, a second-year business student and vice chair of the Honor Committee.

"The Business School has embarked on an increasing emphasis on values and the importance of ethical issues in business," Lelon told The Crimson in March.

The code currently consists of three components, Credo Code and Procedure. The Credo is a statement of general principles; the Code outlines proper behavior; and the Procedure creates a process by which specific cases of violation can be investigated.

Under the system, students accused of abusing the code will face investigation and a possible formal accusation and trial before a jury of fellow students.

Seventy-two percent of first-year business students and 75 percent of second-year students polled approved the honor code.

Eighty-seven percent of first-years and 42 percent of second-years were polled.