Changes to Code stall in committee

The Michigan Student Assembly and the Office of Student Conflict Resolution have yet to finalize plans to make the University's Code of Student Conduct easier to understand and easier for students involved in the process, following reviews of the Code last semester.

Career Planning and Placement Director Simone Himbeault Taylor, who provides oversight to OSCR, said one recommendation by the external and internal Code reviews presented to the University's Board of Regents in February called for an alignment of Housing's Community Living Standards with the Code.

The Code is the University's set of guidelines that govern student behavior. The University can sanction students for violations of the Code - offenses that include damaging University property, committing sexual or physical harm or misusing drugs or alcohol.

Students expressed particular concerns about the lack of continuity between University alcohol policies.

"One thing students were concerned about is that for students living in residence halls there was one set of sanctions, and for students walking down the street with a container there was a different set of standards," Taylor said.

Taylor said the office implemented a Housing liaison in September that serves to help identify Code violations occurring in residence halls. In addition, OSCR has a new data manager position which allows for more consistency in monitoring a student's first, second and third Code violations.

Taylor said the office is now doing the background work to align the policies so that when the documents are set to print next year there will not be overlapping information. Such alignment avoids policy duplication and allows housing to retain its right to have guidelines separate from those affecting the entire University community, Taylor said.

"Candles not being allowed in residence halls rooms is not something that is critical to the University as a whole, but is very critical in a housing environment," Taylor said.

Taylor said she anticipates that there will be future alignment of the Code with other conduct guidelines such as the honor codes of Academic Units.

Interim Vice President for Student Affairs E. Royster Harper said aligning the Code with Housing's conduct guidelines is beneficial.

"It is more streamlined and not as cumbersome for students," Harper said.

In addition to tailoring the Code to prevent overlap, there have also been efforts to assist students involved in Code processes.

MSA Student Rights Commission Chair Abe Rafi is organizing a group of student advisers to assist both the victims and alleged perpetrators throughout the Code process if they so choose.

Rafi, an LSA senior, said the opportunity to form a Student Adviser Corps has been around since 1996 but is something that past students have "dropped the ball on."

Rafi said the group of students, selected through an application process by MSA, will be trained using scenarios and hypothetical situations they may encounter as advisers.

"The Code process is confusing," Rafi said. "Peer advisers will tell students what sort of things they should have in mind."

Students may have unique advice to offer students involved in the process, Rafi said. He said student advisers could offer more straightforward advice to students going through the process.

Although not set to be completed for two more years, OSCR plans to move out of the Fleming Administration Building and into a more accessible location for students.

"We want a more student friendly place than Fleming," Harper said.

Harper said students who have appealed Code decisions have expressed that the appeal doesn't feel fair because Harper's office is close to OSCR.

"We want to make sure enough distance that the appeal feels like a bona fide appeal," Harper said.

Taylor said University Provost Nancy Cantor approved a budget for OSCR that provided for a continued educational thrust, additional staff members and a commitment to finding new office location although no options exist yet.

11-09-99