Since 1893, students at one of the world’s most prestigious universities have taken exams in a relaxed environment, without professors lurking about the room to ensure no talking or wandering eyes.
The honor system that preserved the arrangement is no more, however. On July 1, Princeton University will return to proctored in-class assessments. A seemingly ancient practice has been recalled to counter changing norms and increasing student reliance on artificial intelligence (AI), according to campus documents.
The Ivy League institution’s Honor Code has been amended in the past 133 years to keep up with technology and societal changes. This more recent change was promoted in part by a 2025 student survey of graduating seniors that revealed 30 percent admitted to cheating on assignments. The survey was conducted by the student newspaper, The Daily Princetonian.
A May 4 memo from Dean of Faculty Gene Jarrett outlines that change, which, according to the newspaper, was approved this week.
Under the 1893 policy, students would sign before each examination a statement affirming that they would not collaborate with other students and that they would report any peers seen looking at someone else’s answers or collaborating with others. Over the past few years, Jarrett wrote, both students and faculty have requested a change to this system, “given their perception that cheating on in-class exams has become widespread.”
Generative AI use, such as ChatGPT, is another big driver for this change, Jarrett wrote.
“The ease of access of these tools on a small personal device has also changed the external appearance of misconduct during an examination, which is much harder for other students to observe and hence to report,” the memo says.
Moreover, Jarrett added, students are less likely to report peer cheating for fear that they will be shamed or doxed on social media.
“This has made it difficult for the Honor Committee and the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies to follow up on concerns, even when there is significant buzz or outrage about supposedly egregious violations,” the memo said.
Jarrett’s updated proposal added a sentence to the official Conduct of Undergraduate Courses of Study policy: “In-class exams shall be supervised by instructional staff.” It also said students are still required to sign a pledge with every exam that they have not violated the university honor code.
The Daily Princetonian reported that a faculty committee approved that change on May 11, ahead of the 2026–2027 academic year. It’s not yet updated on the Princeton University website.
Proctors who witness honor code violations will be expected to document their observations, submit a report to the student-led Honor Committee, and testify in disciplinary hearings, the student newspaper reported.
The Epoch Times reached out to Princeton University for comment.