4. Student Covenant & Honor Code
 Crafted and approved by the inaugural student body of Patrick Henry College, and ratified by the Board of Trustees, the Student Covenant and Honor Code serve to set the high standards for a life of personal Christian virtue. The Student Covenant is a personal commitment of the heart between the student and God. The Honor Code is the practical code of conduct—those measurable and enforceable standards of behavior—to which every PHC student agrees to be held.
4.1 Student Covenant
I, a student of Patrick Henry College, commit to love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength; to love my neighbor as myself; and to bring glory to God in obedience to His Word through the following principles:
- I will present my body as a living sacrifice to God, honoring Him in all my actions and seeking a balanced, godly life. (Romans 12:1, 6:13; Ecclesiastes 3:1)
- I will guard my thoughts, striving to maintain a pure and blameless mind. (Proverbs 4:23; Philippians 4:8)
- I will guard my heart, being careful not to defraud others in my relationships. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; Song of Solomon 8:4)
- I will guard my tongue, speaking that which is wholesome and edifying. (Ephesians 4:29; Exodus 20:7)
- I will regularly meet with other Christians for worship, prayer, encouragement, instruction, and spiritual accountability. (Hebrews 10:25; Acts 2:42)
- I will honor and obey all divinely appointed authorities. (Ephesians 6:1-3; Romans 13:1)
- I will not judge others who believe differently from me, realizing that they have freedom in Christ in matters of conscience. (Romans 14:13; Colossians 2:16-17)
- I will resolve conflicts with others directly and humbly, speaking the truth in love. (Matthew 18:15-17; Ephesians 4:15-16)
- I will not become enslaved by anything except the love of Christ, which is the power to set me free. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5; John 8:32-36)
- I will pursue knowledge and wisdom through Christ, for His glory alone. (Proverbs 2:2-5; 1 Corinthians 8:1)
4.2 Honor Code
- I will not cheat, lie, or steal. (Leviticus 19:11)
- I will respect the property of the college and others. (Exodus 22:14)
- I will not use alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
- I will honor my commitments. (Matthew 5:37)
- I will not use abusive, lewd, or profane language. (Ephesians 4:29)
- I will not spread slander or gossip. (Psalm 15:1-3)
- I will seek and obtain parental permission when pursuing a romantic relationship. (Exodus 20:12)
- I will shun obscenity, pornography, and sexually explicit material. (Matthew 5:27-28)
- I will reserve sexual activity for the sanctity of marriage. (1 Corinthians 6:18)
- I will resolve personal conflicts biblically. (Matthew 5:23-24 & 18:15-17)
- I will adhere to the college's policies while under the college's authority, whether on campus or off. (Titus 3:1-2) 1
- I am willing to be held accountable and will hold my fellow students accountable to these tenets. (Galatians 6:1-2)
Footnotes
1OFFICIAL INTERPRETATION OF HONOR CODE
Re: Extent of College Jurisdiction
It is not the intent of Patrick Henry College to invade parental prerogatives or authority. The language of the Honor Code states a division of the realm of authority that the college intends to implement out of deep respect for parental authority.
If a student is on campus, or is temporarily away from campus (i.e., out to dinner in Leesburg for the evening) then the Honor Code applies fully. An example: A student cannot drink alcohol off campus if he or she is planning to return to campus that evening.
However, if, for example, a student has gone home for the weekend, or to some other location and will be staying overnight somewhere for the weekend with parental knowledge, then it is our view that parental and not college controls are in effect. (Those who are gone overnight on college activities, i.e., the debate team, are fully under college authority).
The only times when the college would exercise authority if a student is under parental authority would be:
(1) if the student does something that directly affects his work as a student that violates the Honor Code but has done so with parental permission (example: A student is home on Spring break. He is tempted to plagiarize off the Internet for a paper for a PHC course. The parent says that it is okay to plagiarize. The college would still view that as a violation of the Honor Code despite the parental approval);
(2) if the act is illegal AND a violation of the Honor Code the college will still be concerned despite parental approval (example: A parent tells their child it is okay to take LSD).
Frankly, we cannot imagine any circumstance where any parent who wants their child at PHC to do something of the nature described in the plagiarism or LSD examples. Accordingly, we think that the chances of there being an actual conflict between parents and PHC are essentially zero.
Michael Farris, J.D.
Chancellor, Patrick Henry College
Graham Walker, Ph.D.
President, Patrick Henry College
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