Input solicited for Judicial Affairs policies

In response to Lauren Maisel's Sept. 15 letter, "Judicial Affairs' policies need more student input," I would like to clarify the process used this past year for changing judicial policy. Duke's Office of Judicial Affairs modifies the Duke Community Standard in Practice: A Guide for Undergraduates based upon feedback from students, faculty and staff. The changes for this year came from students, faculty and staff who participated in the disciplinary process previously, and student organizations such as the Greek Judicial Board and Duke Student Government.

The timing of the changes is a function of logistics. As an official Duke bulletin, the new edition must be ready for print in July. The summer provides a natural break when there is time to reconsider the DCS Guide text based on the full experiences and insights of the previous year, and to implement these changes. Each change is approved outside the Office of Judicial Affairs by the Appellate Board and the vice president for student affairs. As Maisel noted, the changes are good changes, and they are minor clarifications of existing policy or modifications explicitly to the advantage of the students.

The Office of Judicial Affairs welcomes input from the Duke community, and explicitly seeks it out every spring, before any changes to judicial policy are made, via Chronicle ads requesting suggestions. Communication with the University community will be enhanced this year by the recently formed Undergraduate Judicial Board Outreach committee, which is available to work with any interested or concerned Duke community members and organizations. The first priority will always be fairness for the students who come through Judicial Affairs. I invite all students, faculty and staff to make suggestions, bring us concerns and help us make the DCS Guide the best it can be. E-mail, call or drop by 107 West Union. We would love to hear from you.

Toni Helbling

Pratt '09

Vice Chair, Undergraduate Judicial Board