After years of operating almost in complete secrecy, the Code of Student Conduct is finally exposed. With the recent passage of the Higher Education Act, no longer does the University's disciplinary Code have a legal excuse for passing judgement away from the eyes of the public. But this amendment to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act may affect campus life much more than students would wish.
Until this amendment was passed, the Code functioned virtually unchecked by the public. Students or administrators could file a complaint under the Code, thus instigating a full investigation. The Code acts as an internal discipline system that can enact punishments as severe as expulsion from the University. But it is virtually impossible to make sure the Code is doing its job well and passing fair judgement when its decisions are kept entirely private. With secret proceedings and decisions, precedents are never made, thus starting each case with a clean slate and giving overwhelming power to the faculty and administrators adjudicating the matter.
Every once in a while, another story of the Code's failure to pass proper judgement would surface. But any action to prevent this from happening again is inhibited by the inability of case-by-case reviews to cite past proceedings. The new amendment to FERPA allows the University to release the information about cases involving the Code, therefore making it possible to check the collegiate court system.
But it is difficult to decide precisely how much this could damage students' privacy. One part of the bill allows the University to call the parents of undergraduates who are caught drinking. This is definitely a violation of students' privacy. There is no reason to contact former guardians because of the behavior of adults. But in cases of violent crimes such as rape and assault, the outcome of these cases should be available to the public. The survivor of such crimes deserves to know that justice has been done while the campus community must be shown that such behavior is not acceptable and will be punished.
A Code that functions in total secrecy has the power to pass any type of judgement it wishes. As the veil that has covered the Code is lifted, students will finally be able to see how well it can work. If there are any mistakes in Code judgements, they can now be pointed out and fixed. Whether or not there has been any bad decisions made by the Code in the past, the FERPA amendment is a step toward ensuring there will be no more.
For now, the University is ambiguous about the affects that this bill will have on campus, with administrators and spokespeople speaking only about the pending discussions regarding this amendment. But with the Code up for review at the end of this semester, the new light shown on its proceedings will certainly influence how the Code functions in the future.
The University should choose to use this amendment to check the Code and not to invade the privacy of students. The ability to release names or contact guardians does not mean that the University should no longer protect the privacy of its students. Rather, the amendment is best suited as a check on the Code of Student Conduct.
This year, the Ann Arbor Public Schools are facing several major issues, including high school overcrowding, budget cuts and a search for a new superintendent. The public school district was criticized by many citizens last year when they were left out of the decision-making process of an elementary school redistricting plan.
Parents and residents who feel they are not involved in public school decisions their tax dollars support - and about schools their children attend - is an all-too-common occurrence. Some people feel alienated or intimidated by educational jargon while others do not feel welcome or see how they can make a difference. Community interaction in the public school system must be more meaningful than buying cookies at school fundraisers.
According to Gail Braverman, the communications director for the Michigan Association of School Boards, the number of married couples without children now exceeds the number of couples with children. Fewer people have school-age children and therefore, lack a vested interest in public education, making it more difficult to pass important public education issues. But all Ann Arbor residents pay school taxes and are thus indirectly supporting every course of action the school board takes.
Paying school taxes likens residents to shareholders of a company; they should have a sincere interest in its success to better the product - their children's education. Braverman led a school board session last week on increasing support for public education. He said a growing number of people are becoming disenfranchised by public schools.
Braverman advised the board to develop a plan for improving communication and involving the community in school decisions - a step in the right direction, although a little too late. School boards are elected by the community; thus, they should be acting in the public's best interest. The board has assigned some trustees to a subcommittee on communication. One of the tests of the district's emphasis on public participation will be the "High School Futures 2000" project. The district is forming a 35-member committee to study ways to relieve high school overcrowding and update the curriculum.
Trustee Nicholas Roumel said some people think the committee's six slots reserved for parents and residents are not enough. Ann Arbor high schools are overcrowded and some students turn to area alternatives, like private, religious or charter schools for more personal attention. Sending students to other schools, however, does not resolve the problems with Ann Arbor's Pioneer and Huron High Schools.
The committee should try to find a balance that will allow it to involve as many people as possible and make decisions expediently. Parents should be aware of how their involvement in the public school system not only helps their children, but improves Ann Arbor's reputation and creates a standard for other school districts to follow. Residents must not lose sight of how important a public school system is and they should be involved. It is important that the public know that it has an impact on decisions for their public schools. In a city that is home to a highly regarded public universities, nothing less should be expected.
10-14-98
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