West Point Concludes Honor Code Investigations, Discontinues Willful Admission Process

WEST POINT, N.Y. – The U.S. Military Academy has completed its final adjudication of honor code violations that occurred during a freshman calculus exam in May 2020, while in remote learning away from the academy.

Of the 73 cases investigated by the cadet honor committee, six cadets resigned during the investigation, an additional four cadets were acquitted by a board of their peers, and two cases were dropped due to insufficient evidence. Of the resulting 61 cases that were fully adjudicated, eight were separated, 51 were turned back one full year, and two were turned back six months.

In October 2020, the academy also began a comprehensive honor system review and found that the willful admission process, in place since 2015, had not met its intended purpose. 

“Character development is the most important thing we do at West Point. It is critical to building leaders for our Army,” said Superintendent Lt. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, “The tenets of honorable living remain immutable, and the outcomes of our leader development system remain the same, to graduate Army officers that live honorably, lead honorably, and demonstrate excellence. West Point must be the gold standard for developing Army officers. We demand nothing less than impeccable character from our graduates.”

All cadets who were turned back are held under a suspended separation until graduation. The separation takes effect if the cadet violates any of the probationary terms of the suspension. Five of the eight cadets separated from the academy were offered participation in the academy mentorship program, three accepted, and two declined. Under this program, cadets are separated from the Academy and are required to serve for 8-12 months as an enlisted Soldier before they may apply for readmission. There is no guarantee of readmission.

West Point considers every violation of the cadet honor code a serious breach of integrity. All cadets found guilty immediately received a course grade of “F”, lost cadet rank, and lost privileges. After adjudication of final punishment, all cadets who remain at the academy were barred from representing West Point in NCAA competitions, club sport competitions, club trips, semester abroad, academy exchange programs, brigade open finals, and public relations until the Superintendent approves completion of their Special Leader Development Program for Honor, which normally takes four to six months.

After returning to West Point in August 2020, members of the cadet honor committee conducted certification training and began investigating the 73 cheating allegations. Cadets suspected of cheating were granted due process and fair consideration throughout the investigations, hearings, and adjudications. The process is overseen by Army officers and civilian personnel from the academy’s Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic. The honor process is led by first-class [senior] cadets from the cadet honor committee who are appointed annually. The final adjudication process began in January as soon as the first cases were prepared for review. The superintendent personally adjudicated each case based on its individual merits, circumstances, and the recommendation of the cadet chain of command, honor committee, brigade tactical department, and commandant.

The cadet honor system has been under review since early fall and the superintendent directed a formal, comprehensive review of the program on Oct. 1, 2020. Two immediate focus areas of the honor program review were the academy’s representation policy and the willful admission process.

In late October 2020, the Superintendent elevated the decision for cadets to represent the academy to his level. He changed the policy because of concerns that punishment was being implemented without consideration of chain of command input or matters of mitigation and extenuation. With this policy change, all cadets continued to conduct public affairs activities, participate in club activities, travel, and compete in their respective sport until final adjudication by the superintendent. Of the original 73 cadets, 52 were athletes representing 10 different teams. Sixteen cadets, across six athletic teams, competed prior to final adjudication. Now that adjudication is complete, no cadet found guilty is currently representing the academy.

Of the 73 cadets notified of suspected cheating, 55 immediately admitted to the cheating through a program known as the willful admission process. The willful admission process eliminated separation as a punishment for cadets who meet the criteria for acceptance into the program and has been a part of the West Point honor system since 2015. The full honor program review will be complete in October 2021, but in the interim the review determined that the willful admission process was not meeting the desired intent of increasing self-reporting and decreasing toleration. Therefore, the academy has decided to end the program. Ending the program means that separation will be a potential punishment for any honor violation.

The academy remains committed to its mission, to educate, train, and inspire the U.S. Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of duty, honor, and country.

More information about the cadet honor code is available at https://www.westpoint.edu/honor.