Student Assembly Sen. Noah Kim ’13 has withdrawn from the Honor Council Review Committee.
In an e-mail to SA senators, Honor Council members and members of the Honor System Review Presidential Advisory Committee, Kim cited outside commitments and the upcoming SA budget process as the reason for his withdrawal.
“I’ve been having trouble finding the time for it,” Kim said. “I didn’t want to be involved unless I could give it my all.”
Sen. Dallen McNerney ’14 will take Kim’s place on the committee. Kim currently serves as chairman of the SA Finance Committee.
“He’s done his homework,” Kim said. “I think it’s important to have a freshman on the committee.”
The Honor Council Review Committee began meeting earlier this semester to discuss possible changes to the College of William and Mary’s honor system. It is expected to make its recommendations to the Honor Council before the SA formally begins its budget process in February.
The Necessary Honor Council Reform Act, passed by the SA senate in April, prevents the SA from funding the Honor Council until reforms sought by the SA are implemented. The purpose of the Review Committee is to determine feasible reforms, which will then be presented to the Honor Council, as well as to the Presidential Advisory Committee.
Kim said that he felt comfortable leaving the Honor Council Review Committee after its Nov. 7 meeting, which he said was the committee’s most productive meeting thus far.
“I really think we’re going to see some substantial reforms out of this,” he said.
Kim is also a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee. In his initial Nov. 10 e-mail, Kim withdrew from that position as well. A second e-mail sent Nov. 12 said that he would remain on the Presidential committee, which will convene for its first meeting this Tuesday morning.
“I wanted to let you all know that after a long conversation with Professor Clay Clemens, [Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee], I have decided to stay on only that committee,” Kim said in his second e-mail. “This decision came after his encouragement for me to do so over concerns my seat would remain unfilled by another student.”
Honor Council Chair John Pothen said that the committee would continue its work without Kim’s participation.
“It’s hard to say what effect Noah’s withdrawal from the committee will have,” he said. “We’ll just continue to do our part and hope for the best.”