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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

Student input removed from organization discipline process

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The student-run ethics board that provided input when student groups broke IU rules will no longer be allowed to help administrators decide how to discipline campus organizations.

The board did not have the power to decide organizations’ punishments, but rather made recommendations to administrators.

Director of Student Life and Learning Steve Veldkamp said in an email the decision to remove the board from the process was made during the summer during a review of Student Life and Learning’s judicial process.

“(The board was removed) because there is a national best practice for organizational conduct cases, which includes trained professional staff to ensure consistency, prevent bias in the decision making process, and retaliation against students involved in the process,” Veldkamp said in the email.

Since the fall of 2011, only greek organizations have faced discipline from the University, according to documents on Student Life and Learning’s website.

When a group violates University rules, it faces disciplinary actions ranging from disciplinary probation — essentially, a warning — up to full suspension.

One explanation for the removal could be because the board could potentially become biased if a member were also part of the organization being disciplined.

The individual could potentially influence the board to recommend lesser sanctions against the group.

Veldkamp said although the board, which comprises up to 15 students, will no longer help administrators with organizations’ hearings, it will not be totally disbanded.

“We are in the process of repurposing the student board and creating opportunities for those students to continue working with us,” Veldkamp said.

Nyssa Kruse

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