2008 Woodie Awards
Senate Endorses Giving Judicial Council More Options; Transcripts and Schedule Changes at Stake
Kelsey Steele
Issue date: 2/10/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
At their Jan. 31 meeting, the Student Senate unanimously endorsed a document presented by Dr. Liz Gron, chair of the College Judicial Council (CJC). The document outlines a new step in the judicial process which allows CJC to place a judicial hold on a student's account, if s/he is sentenced to fines or community service and does not complete them in the allotted time.
The idea for the new procedure, according to Gron, came to her after she came close to writing suspension and expulsion letters last fall to students who had not followed through with their sentences in the time that was given.
"We needed other tools to solve this problem," Gron said, "so we don't have to make this giant leap [to suspension or expulsion]."
The new measure would prevent students from adding or dropping classes or acquiring transcripts until they completed their sentence. If they still did not comply, they would face suspension or expulsion. Gron emphasized that this is not to be considered a punishment, but an in-between step before students face more serious punishment.
"It is meant to be a service," she said. "Students really hate to have their problems in campus life brought into the academic arena. This way, when they can't get the registrar to do what they need, students will come talk to us and we can work things out."
At the meeting, senior John Gray asked if the measure would only come in to play at the beginning and end of each term, when most students are trying to add and drop classes.
Gron answered, "It's not going to catch everyone, but it is a bigger net."
Senior Cara Boyd expressed a concern that there was too much room for interpretation in the document.
Gron said that CJC is very clear when communicating with students, and that the process is typically very slow moving. So, if students were facing this action, they would see it coming.
Senate President Daniel Feild explained the document was in its preliminary stages and that it was not up for approval, just evaluation.
The document is set to go before the faculty next week and may eventually return to Senate as a revision to the Hendrix College Student Handbook upon faculty approval.
"We just want student input because it is a whole lot better to get a consensus on things like this," Gron said.
"I think this is a good measure because you won't just accidentally forget about it," junior Lizzy Price said. "It gives people an extra chance to clear things up before they face more serious punishment."
"I feel like there should be a certain level of accountability in situations like this," freshman Sarah Hughes said. "If you do something wrong, you pay the price. You know the rules when you break them, and you should take the punishment like everyone else."
The idea for the new procedure, according to Gron, came to her after she came close to writing suspension and expulsion letters last fall to students who had not followed through with their sentences in the time that was given.
"We needed other tools to solve this problem," Gron said, "so we don't have to make this giant leap [to suspension or expulsion]."
The new measure would prevent students from adding or dropping classes or acquiring transcripts until they completed their sentence. If they still did not comply, they would face suspension or expulsion. Gron emphasized that this is not to be considered a punishment, but an in-between step before students face more serious punishment.
"It is meant to be a service," she said. "Students really hate to have their problems in campus life brought into the academic arena. This way, when they can't get the registrar to do what they need, students will come talk to us and we can work things out."
At the meeting, senior John Gray asked if the measure would only come in to play at the beginning and end of each term, when most students are trying to add and drop classes.
Gron answered, "It's not going to catch everyone, but it is a bigger net."
Senior Cara Boyd expressed a concern that there was too much room for interpretation in the document.
Gron said that CJC is very clear when communicating with students, and that the process is typically very slow moving. So, if students were facing this action, they would see it coming.
Senate President Daniel Feild explained the document was in its preliminary stages and that it was not up for approval, just evaluation.
The document is set to go before the faculty next week and may eventually return to Senate as a revision to the Hendrix College Student Handbook upon faculty approval.
"We just want student input because it is a whole lot better to get a consensus on things like this," Gron said.
"I think this is a good measure because you won't just accidentally forget about it," junior Lizzy Price said. "It gives people an extra chance to clear things up before they face more serious punishment."
"I feel like there should be a certain level of accountability in situations like this," freshman Sarah Hughes said. "If you do something wrong, you pay the price. You know the rules when you break them, and you should take the punishment like everyone else."