Submitted by Tara Zrymiak, P.Eng., FEC
I was honoured and inspired to attend the Honour Pin ceremony at the University of Regina on Thursday, October 5, 2017. This is the third year for this event, which was started by the Regina Engineering Students Society (RESS) in 2015, modelled after the Iron Pin ceremony at UBC.
The Honour Pin is the first-year student version of the Iron Ring that is presented to graduates. It represents a promise to uphold the ethics, integrity and honesty of the profession of engineering.
As part of his introduction to the ceremony, RESS Vice President Academic Quinn Bast advised the students present that they could wear their pin in exams, labs, walking the halls or anywhere to remind themselves and others that they “know what’s going on” regarding ethical responsibility in school and in life.
I was pleased to speak on behalf of APEGS and informed the students about the importance of ethics to the profession and the renewed emphasis on ensuring our members are informed about their responsibility and practise with integrity in light of recent events such as the Charbonneau Commission and the Elliot Lake Mall collapse.
The Dean of Engineering, Esam Hussein, Ph.D., P.Eng., reminded the students that when you cheat, you are only cheating yourself and that while you will sometimes succeed and sometimes fail, you will always have your ethics and integrity.
Associate Dean Academic David deMontigny Ph.D., P.Eng., FEC talked about the Academic Integrity Committee started by students to advise the college about ways to reduce the occurrences of ethical violations at the school.
The University of Regina Engineering Code of Ethics that was recited by all those in attendance before receiving their pin was adapted from the APEGS Code of Ethics and reads as follows:
I, as a student of Engineering and Applied Science of the University of Regina, shall recognize this code for guiding my conduct throughout my studies, personal life and career. I shall act at all times with honesty and trustworthiness towards my peers and society. Accordingly, I shall:
1. Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public within the university and workplace by promoting a welcoming, respectful and ethical environment that values everyone equally.
2. Uphold the academic integrity of the University of Regina and of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, completing and submitting work that is founded on personal achievement and without plagiarism.
3. Conduct myself with fairness and avoid conflicts of interest.
4. Give credit where it is due and accept, as well as give, honest and fair professional comment.
5. Report any concerns to the appropriate governing body.
The ceremony was concluded with closing remarks by RESS Vice President Communications Kaylee Hayko.
It is inspiring to see that engineering students not only recognize the importance of ethics in their education and in their profession, but also that they value it enough to take time out of their busy schedule to develop and run the Honour Pin Ceremony and the Academic Integrity Committee.
The future of our profession is looking bright with these dedicated and honourable future members.