i think public institution also might have an honor code.

VMI is state supported. That's why they now admit women. If a school has an honor code or any other type of code of contuct for students, the Constitution trumps it (as long as it's a state supported school).

they has been a trend in higher ed in the last 10 years or so to adopt a school creed. auburn has the "auburn creed" uga has 'the pillars of the arch' and i believe alabama just adopted one. bascially, because of the poor decisions that students were making, the universities thought it prudent to state that as students at said school, we should conduct oursleves in a way that bring honor and not shame to our schools. and they are being used in judicial hearings.

update
 

Georgia State University suspended a black student organization Thursday after finding it harassed a member of a fraternity that had hosted a party where two students appeared in blackface.

The Black Student Alliance, an umbrella organization of black student groups, also violated university policy by distributing an intentionally misleading flier on campus that told students about the party, the university found.

The blackface incident at a party thrown by the nearly all-white Pi Kappa Alpha chapter spurred campus protests and public forums at one of Georgia's most diverse state universities. Almost one-third of the 28,000 students at Georgia State are African-American.

At one of those forums, an African-American student who is a member of Pi Kappa Alpha said he was called derogatory names by members of the Black Student Alliance. The student, Rick Burt, later filed a complaint saying the alliance fliers had depicted his fraternity as racist, stirred up outrage, and subjected him to harassment.

On Thursday, Dean of Students Rebecca Stout backed the findings of a student judicial panel that looked into the allegations. She found the alliance engaged in discriminatory harassment against Burt.

The senior, who said he is the only black active member of his fraternity, said he was called a "Sambo" and an "Uncle Tom."

The fliers included a photo taken from the Internet, reportedly of students from another university, in blackface and white hooded robes. It read: "Happy Black History Month from your Friends of Pi Kappa Alpha."

On Thursday, Burt said he was pleased. "They knowingly and willingly, as an organization, violated those sections of the [student] code."

Shakeema Bell, a student speaking for the Black Student Alliance, said the organization and its supporters are outraged and plan to appeal.

The Black Student Alliance will be suspended through Dec. 19. It has to vacate its Student Center office space by May 21. Its members must perform at least 200 hours of community service, and its executive leaders have to complete a diversity education program.

Last week, the university suspended the fraternity Pi Kappa Alpha through Dec. 19 for the blackface incident. It cannot host parties with alcohol until May 2005, or at least one semester after its charter is renewed. It has to participate in community service and apologize in writing to the predominantly African-American fraternity Phi Beta Sigma, which filed the complaint about the party

Pi kappa alpha really needs to get a lawyer on this one. That verdict is certainly not fair.

i think little ricky burt was being over sensitive and needs to man up. and i think the black student alliance needs to get a lawyer, as well. i highly doubt that it was an official order by the e-board to harass burt. plus, i just think those flyers were free speech.

I have no problems with that either . . he was probably getting back at them because his chapter was suspended.

If the school suspends one group for being offensive, it should suspend the other one for being offensive.

Of course it has no business doing it in either case.