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| Ins and outs of trouble |
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| Written by Amberly Beckman - Argonaut | ||||||
| Monday, 02 March 2009 | ||||||
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Cheating on a test. Drinking alcohol in the dorms. Downloading illegally. Burning candles. All these acts can land a University of Idaho sudent in Laura Hutchinson’s office. Hutchinson, director of campus life and student conduct, said anyone who violates the Student Code of Conduct can be placed in UI’s judicial system. Cheating on a test. Drinking alcohol in the dorms. Downloading illegally. Burning candles. All these acts can land a University of Idaho sudent in Laura Hutchinson’s office. Hutchinson, director of campus life and student conduct, said anyone who violates the Student Code of Conduct can be placed in UI’s judicial system. Hutchinson said she sees anywhere from 900 to 1,100 students in her office for issues ranging from candles in a dorm room to sexual assault. About 10 to 15 of those cases come from police reports. The amount of time students spend in the system varies according to their offense, said Bruce Pitman, vice provost of student affairs. The most common cases are ones of alcohol abuse, where a student will attend an educational program, pay a fine and be out of the system in a matter of weeks. Other cases. such as violence or vandalism, can keep a student in the system for years at a time, although those cases are more uncommon. “Rarely is the system used to remove students,” Pitman said. Approximately six students are suspended from UI every year. Another common case seen at UI is the illegal downloading of music, according to Matt Darrington, UI judicial officer. ITS will issue a warning for first-time offenders using programs to illegally acquire music. On the second offense, students are asked to see a judicial officer about what action will be taken. Darrington said typically on the second offense of music downloading, students are asked to watch an educational DVD, write a paper and pay a fine. Students in the judicial system can reach an agreed settlement and work with an officer or can elect to go to a judicial hearing. Judicial officers Darrington and Brett Judd work on the prosecuting end of the offenses. The student can choose to have representation of their own, none at all or can choose to have ASUI Student Defender Nick Peterson, a third year law student, represent them. Darrington said most students realize they have made a mistake when they enter his office and usually choose to cooperate. After choosing representation, the student can schedule a hearing or reach an agreed settlement. “Our priority is not only to keep the university safe, but the individual as well,” Darrington said. But that’s only on campus. Hutchinson said UI has no jurisdiction with off-campus events. “I will pull them into my office and discuss what’s going on in severe situations,” Hutchinson said. She cannot hand down consequences for students involved in off-campus incidents. Instead, she said she acts as a counselor to make sure the student understands the implications of their actions. Pitman said there are a few exceptions to the off-campus rule. If students are traveling for a retreat or conference sanctioned by UI, they must follow the Student Code of Ethics. Pitman said students who are off campus when a crime is committed answer to the police — not UI — but students who commit a crime on campus deal with UI, and police may be notified. “A lot of campuses are moving toward conduct systems away from the immediate campus,” Pitman said. Washington State University, Boise State University and University of Washington have moved in the direction of a conduct system that encompasses areas beyond their campus for serious situations such as rape or other forms of violence. Pitman said UI would not implement a plan like that any time soon, but it has been an area of discussion for the last few years. He said while there are many positive aspects of an off-campus conduct system, it would require more staff and would also require UI to assume more liability for students’ behavior. Hutchinson said she acquires cases from various sources. She meets with the police weekly and reviews police reports. She also gets information from faculty and from residence hall staff. Amanda Dougherty, a sophomore RA in the Chrisman Hall last semester, said her biggest difficulty enforcing rules was in trying to get mutual respect from students. As an RA, her job was to make sure the students in her hall were following the law and code of ethics. Vandalism, alcohol, drugs, stealing or general rule breaking could result in the student being written up. RAs go through formal training to learn how to react to situations like suicide and legal issues. In cases involving drugs, like marijuana, Dougherty said the first thing an RA is instructed to do is call the police. “I need to address every situation all the time,” Dougherty said. The best advice Hutchinson said she can give a student going through the system is to tell the truth. She said it makes the best of a bad situation. “Most students tell the truth most of the time,” Hutchinson said. In these cases, Hutchinson said she acts as a mediator. She said she helps the students make it a positive experience by figuring out how not to end up in her office again. “I don’t want our office shaming students,” Hutchinson said. “Especially when parents are involved. People can change.” Hutchinson said she uses suspension or expulsion as a last resort. “If a student harms (another), it speaks that they don’t want to stay,” Hutchinson said. Her goal is that students leave with a better frame of mind, she said. Some misconceptions students have are the dean of students will kick students out of the university. Hutchinson said that while it is rare, the judicial council might expel a student if the case is serious. Hutchinson said another misconception is she enjoys punishing students. She said she enjoys helping them, not punishing them. “The reality is that students don’t know much about it, so there are not many perceptions,” Pitman said. Hutchinson said she never asks students to be “rats.” She will never ask a student to give information of other students who may have done something wrong, she said. When students do find themselves in trouble, Hutchinson said it is always better to see her sooner rather than later.  Add as favorites (64) | Views: 873
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