The mission of Kalamazoo College is to prepare its graduates to better understand, live successfully within, and provide enlightened leadership to a richly diverse and increasingly complex world.
Students come to K from across the globe because they are determined to fully live into that mission and leave here as lifelong learners dedicated to creating a more just world. This shared passion creates an ecosystem of diverse thinkers bound by the goodwill and cooperation of every member of our campus community.
To ensure that we are able to live in community and grow alongside one another, the College expects each student to abide by our Honor System and Code of Conduct.
Kalamazoo College Honor System
The Honor System is a set of mutually held principles freeing us to create an environment of living and learning that will foster understanding, mutual respect, intellectual curiosity, and social commitment. We ask the members of the Kalamazoo College community to pledge themselves to creating and protecting a sense of honor in their lives, and we call upon them to act when they observe actions that are in conflict with these principles.
Take Responsibility for Personal Behavior
To develop academic and social growth, we commit ourselves to free inquiry, openness to different points of view, and honesty in speech and conduct. In our attitudes and actions, we aim beyond selfishness and parochialism.
Respect Others
To enhance our community, we accept responsibility for its social well-being. We commit ourselves to treat with respect those with whom we differ, to recognize the rights held by others, and to attempt to resolve conflicts. Expressions of prejudice are contrary to this mutual respect and prevent the fostering of community.
Nurture Independent Thought
To safeguard the integrity of academic work and research, we accept responsibility for our own scholarly performance. We regard false representation of our scholarly work as unacceptable because it undermines our integrity and that of the community. We commit ourselves to knowing under what conditions scholarly research is to be conducted, the degree of collaboration allowed, and the resources to be consulted.
Accept Environmental Responsibility
To maintain and improve the condition of our physical environment, we commit ourselves to the respectful and prudent stewardship of our community’s material and natural resources.
More Information
For particular policies and regulations which define the principles of the Honor System, please see the Student Code of Conduct on the Office of Student Development’s website.