James Earl Orr Jr. named director of the Undergraduate Honor System
James Earl Orr Jr. has been named director of the Undergraduate Honor System at Virginia Tech. He began serving in the role on June 1.
Orr most recently served as director of the Student Honor Code Office at Mississippi State University. In this position, he led the honor system for undergraduate, graduate, and College of Veterinary Medicine students.
In his new role, Orr is responsible for education and outreach efforts and the day-to-day operations of the Undergraduate Honor System, including the training and support of faculty, staff, and students involved in the honor system.
The Undergraduate Honor System reviews reports of academic violations to Virginia Tech’s Honor Code, including cheating, plagiarism, and falsification.
“Orr brings a depth of experience in higher education honor systems, through both his professional experience and research activities,” said Mary Ann Lewis, assistant provost of First Year Experiences. “We are excited to have him join our team and apply his knowledge to our own campus.”
In addition, Orr will also collaborate with other units on campus to develop a culture of academic integrity at Virginia Tech.
“Virginia Tech is a great institution that has a long commitment to service and integrity as part of its history. I am excited about the opportunity to work with faculty and students as I know that they are the heart and soul of the Honor Code," Orr said. "Promoting academic integrity requires an institutional-wide effort to promote integrity and honesty through preventive programming and by providing support for faculty in the classroom. I look forward to working with students, faculty, and campus units."
Orr received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee at Martin and his master’s and doctorate degrees from Mississippi State University.
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.
