Governance Committee Hears Proposal For Student Disciplinary Committee

Members of the ad hoc committee on College Governance yesterday proposed and debated the creation of an undergraduate judicial committee that would consider some types of disciplinary cases now under the jurisdiction of the Administrative Board.

In addition, the four student members of the joint student-Faculty committee suggested that a surcharge for student activities be added to College term bills, and that the Student Assembly distribute the surcharge funds to undergraduate organizations.

The students did not say how large the surcharge might be, and the committee delayed discussion on the issue until its next meeting on November 5. The student committee members said they will organize an open meeting before that date to discuss the surcharge, the student judicial committee, and other issues.

If the committee adopts the proposals in its final report to Dean Fox in February, they would have to be ratified by the undergraduate student body before they could go into effect, members of the committee said yesterday.

Valuable Addition

John E. Dowling, professor of Biology and chairman of the committee, said yesterday a student judicial committee might serve as a valuable addition to the Ad Board in some cases, such as when a student has been asked to withdraw and then applies for readmission."

But Elizabcth A. Gray, senior tutor of Kirkland House and a member of the Ad Board, told the governance review committee she could not think of a single case that should be decided only by students. "I think the system works very well as it is now," she added.

Perspective and Fairness

Since students are not allowed to make personal presentations to the Ad Board except if they have been required to withdraw, a student judicial committee would add "perspective and fairness" to disciplinary decisions, Natasha Pearl '82, a member of the committee, said yesterday.

"The ad board is a mystery to most students, and we have no objective way of knowing what is discussed in its meetings," she added.

Archie C. Epps III, dean of students and a member of the Ad Board, said yesterday the student proposal raises the "fundamental issues" of student involvement in discipline and privacy. The ad board cannot explain its decisions to the community because it must protect individual rights to privacy, he added.