Princeton mandates proctoring in-person exams, upending 133 years of precedent
Key takeaways
- All in-person examinations at Princeton will be proctored starting July 1, representing the most significant change to the honor system since it was established in 1893.
- Princeton’s honor system dates back to 1893, when the faculty first instituted the Honor Code following a student petition to eliminate proctoring during examinations.
- The policy proposal cites AI and personal electronic devices as major catalysts behind the policy shift.
All in-person examinations at Princeton will be proctored starting July 1, representing the most significant change to the honor system since it was established in 1893. The faculty passed a proposal requiring instructor supervision at Monday’s faculty meeting, with one opposing vote.
The historic vote was the culmination of months of deliberation within the administration and student governing bodies about how to address increasing concerns over academic integrity violations, including the proliferation of AI usage. The proposal cleared a full faculty vote as the final of three required rounds of approval, having already been passed unanimously by the Committee on Examinations and Standing and the Faculty Advisory Committee on Policy.
According to the policy proposal, previously sent by Dean of the College Michael Gordin to the Faculty Advisory Committee and included in Monday’s meeting notes, instructors will remain present in exam rooms “as a witness to what happens,” but are instructed not to interfere with students. If a suspected Honor Code violation occurs, proctors will document their observations and submit a report to the student-run Honor Committee, where they may later testify under the same standards used for other witnesses.