I think in this case I'd be saving some of my outrage for the professor who apparently accepted late submissions after categorically stating that he wouldn't.

Ooh, good point! What's up with that?

You're such a Dom.

Who doesn't like bossing around freshman?

Well, I was an RA too, but I felt my role was to counsel my freshman and enforce a semblance of peace. They had to answer to my authoriTAY.

I wasn't in the freshman dorm, so that makes a bit of a difference. Although, I didn't tend to call the police or check on things unless there was a complaint. Sometimes I'd knock on a door to tell someone to quiet down, but the only time the cops were called was after a noise complaint that turned out to be mucho underage drinking.

I don't remember agreeing to an honor code at my college. I don't know that I would've considered one binding. I certainly wouldn't have felt morally obliged to report somebody. My ethical choices aren't bound by a freakin' school code.

Apparently not if you'd agree to something and not do it.

Why am I imagining Hec going all Pacino in Scent of a Woman on school honor codes?

I also think it's a tough question to answer without knowing what the penalty is likely to be, too. Zero on the assignment - totally fair. Zero on the assignment and all the ones to date - also pretty fair. Booted from the class, or in some cases the university altogether? No, I'm sorry. Cheating is a serious matter, but I don't think zero tolerance is any more effective or fair in classrooms than it is in courts. I wouldn't want to have a hand in that, anyway.

I don't remember agreeing to an honor code at my college

Really? Huh. Almost all of my college peers had to agree to an honor code as part of freshman orientation. Of course, we were late Gen X and so therefore much more debauched than the rest of y'all. @@

I think many students regard honor codes much like software EULAs -- you have to agree to it to get the stuff you want, but if it's patently unfair you may not feel it's binding.

I think honor codes have gotten more common in recent years.

Apparently not if you'd agree to something and not do it.

Oh fuck that shit, Trudy. An Honor Code is as insulting as a Vow of Allegiance to me. I think it's a complete abdication of ethical responsibility. I'd never let any institution dictate what my moral choices are. I'm sure there's a Firm Email Policy you had to sign to get hired that you haven't followed to the strict letter.