Complaints that Ohio University does not give students a fair hearing when they violate university statutes have prompted a written reaction from Student Senate.
A resolution asking for a review of the current Student Code of Conduct will be read at Senate on Wednesday night, asking that the OU’s Review and Standards Committee look into the current rules.
“Our main complaint with the code is it’s very difficult for students to understand what they’re being charged with,” said Molly Nocheck, director of Students
Defending Students. “We are (also) hoping that the sanctioning guidelines are changed because as it stands right now, if you have an alcohol violation and then a second alcohol violation, we can say pretty confidently that you’ll be suspended.”
The Student Code of Conduct deals with punishing students who commit offenses from academic misconduct to alcohol and noise violations both on and off campus.
Mary Kate Gallagher, university life commissioner in Senate, is the primary sponsor of the resolution representing Nocheck’s interest in the body.
Another complaint Nocheck has with the policy is the structure of the appeal process, which is currently only done in written form rather than in person.
“Students are not physically present in the appeal process at all,” Nocheck said.
“It’s ridiculous because the poor students — it’s so disconnected. They feel they have no say past the (first) hearing.”
Isaac Smith, SDS’s assistant director of administration, is also concerned that the code’s appeals process, which is meant to promote responsible behaviors, works against itself.
“You’re not told how to do (an appeal) and not sound fake or pretentious so it’s incredibly difficult for students to get a fair result because they don’t know how to do that in writing,” Smith said.
He added that he believes suspensions are not educational because drug or alcohol problems that result in removal from campus send students back to home environments, which typically first facilitated their problem.
“If a review were to happen, most likely a student-involved task force would be convened,” said Ardy Gonyer, acting director of Community Standards and Student Responsibility. “There would be time for the general student population to bring forward any concerns they may have (with the code).”
Gonyer said any changes to the code would be subject to approval by OU President Roderick McDavis and the OU Board of Trustees. He added that students should be aware of the code and its implications on and off campus.
“The Code of Conduct doesn’t have any geographic limits to it,” he said. “If something (off campus) came to our attention, we certainly could address it.”
dd195710@ohiou.edu
