Incoming Penn State freshmen may be asked to sign a new creed that could dictate the academic and community conduct of students.

Student leaders on campus are trying to implement an honor code that all incoming students would be asked to view and sign as they obtain their access accounts during the Freshman Testing, Counseling and Advising Program.

After last semester's ongoing discussions about the way that the judicial affairs process worked at Penn State, several students decided to take action.

"We feel as though a lot of people simply haven't seen the Code of Conduct," said Todd Ellis, vice president of the Undergraduate Student Government Academic Assembly. He went on to say that it didn't seem fair to hold people to a document with which they were unfamiliar.

"Both the Code of Conduct and Academic Integrity Policy do well to give the nuts and bolts of what happens if you don't uphold university standards and policies," said Mike Fazio, Undergraduate Student Government Senate president. "But neither is very positive."

Initially, Ellis and Fazio looked at a way to present the actual Code of Conduct to incoming students, but that idea was discarded.

"Students already see the code in their admissions packet, and agree to it upon admission," said Fazio, adding it seemed like few take the time to read it.

"Instead, we're looking at a way to present a shortened version of the code in sort of a 'credo' form," said Ellis.

One of the things that the students stress is that this creed will be a positive thing. "We want to make sure that we present this to students in the right light, so that they realize that it would be a good thing for the university," said Ellis.

Fazio seconded the notion.

"We want this to be a positive reinforcement of community ideals," he said.

While the creed will deal with typical honor code situations — no cheating, no plagiarism, etc. — it will also encompass community standards, including tolerance and appreciation of diversity.

"You know, the whole 'be nice to your sister' thing," said Ellis.

Similar codes at other institutions are being reviewed as students begin to draft a Penn State version.

"We've looked at honor codes at other universities — the University of Virginia and Stanford University, for example. We looked at the things we liked and the things that we didn't, and we're taking those things into consideration as we write this code," said Ellis.

Both Ellis and Fazio stressed that they were not looking to rewrite the Code of Conduct.

"The code is fine for what it is," said Fazio. "But we feel that we need something more."

Ellis and Fazio are working with the Faculty Senate's Student Life Senate Committee to write the proposed creed, but say that they believe Graham Spanier is working on a similar honor code.

"We haven't been able to substantiate anything, but if he is, we're completely willing to work together with him to make sure that this is something that both the students and faculty will agree to," Ellis said. "In the long run, we'd like everyone at Penn State - faculty, students and staff — to sign this, so we want to make sure that it's something we can all live with."

Dr. Spanier couldn't be reached for comment. When asked what would happen if students refused to sign the new creed, Ellis said that they would probably be held to its standards anyway.

"We're not all familiar with the Code of Conduct, but if we break one of its rules, we're held responsible. This will probably work the same way," he said.

"We can't force anyone to sign anything," Fazio said.

Ellis and Fazio are hoping that things will move quickly enough so that the creed will be in place in time for incoming freshmen to view and sign this fall. However, they appreciate the fact that it could take a long time to get things right.

"We don't want to sacrifice quality for time," said Ellis. "Mike and I will both be here for another year, and if we have to, we'll wait to make sure that things work out the way that we want them to."

In the end, the two felt that it was all about making Penn State a better place to live and learn.

"We're a community whether we like it or not," said Ellis. "We're just trying to find ways that we can all live together peaceably."