A new policy that would replace University Health Services' pink slips with the honor system is in the early stages of debate in the Faculty Senate.

Surveys administered to students by Penn State Health Services found that a majority of students are able to take care of themselves when sick and only go to UHS so they can verify to their professors that they were sick.

The verification forms, however, only show the date the student was seen at UHS and do not excuse the student from class or exams, unless the illness is significant or prolonged when, in those cases, different procedures are taken.

"We have not changed our policy yet," said Kathy Petroff, supervisor of general medical services at Penn State. "But we are out to use our resources effectively and make students healthy."

The UHS verification form recommends self care, when appropriate, for students too ill to attend classes or work.

Problems may arise when students go to the health center for illness documentation, according to the UHS document.

"This practice not only makes ill students leave the comfort of their homes but also diverts limited health center resources away from those who truly need professional help," the form said.

The proposal, which was brought to the attention of the Council of Undergraduate Deans last year, would eliminate UHS as the middleman and allow students to give health excuses directly to their professors.

It would be up to the professors' discretion how the absences would be handled.

"We are not very far along," said John Nichols, Faculty Senate chair. "We don't have any front proposal at this stage."

Nichols said the origin of this policy stems from concerns coming out of health services' clinical time, when UHS's time is used for minor ailments.

He said problems also arise when students go to UHS to seek an excuse after missing an exam.

"Old Main is working on a rough proposal right now," he said.

The proposal would then go to a Faculty Senate council, then the full senate.

"It is hard to envision this happening," Nichols said. "The senate will not endorse something unworkable."

The Faculty Senate tentatively plans on discussing this matter at its next meeting on Oct. 23.

"This is definitely going to be hard at first, getting used to a new system based on honesty and trust," said Paul Ricciardi, Academic Assembly vice president. "In the long run, though, there will be better relations between professors and students."