Judicial program offers new option

Students being tried by IU's judicial system will now have access to the Student Judicial Program, a new initiative sponsored by the IU Student Association. The program will provide students with a case manager knowledgeable about University legal processes. \nThe program is just beginning and is administered under IUSA's Student Rights Department. \nCase managers learn the Student's Code of Rights and Responsibilities so that they can better assist the students. \n"Not many people read it or think about it," said Renee Chafitz, a senior and case manager. "I found out a lot of things that I wasn't aware of."\nPaul Musgrave, junior and associate director of student rights for IUSA, called the code "confusing." The code is 49 pages long, single-spaced and printed in 8 to 10 point font, Musgrave said. \nThe program and case managers help explain the material to students. \n"(The program) is designed to bring more education," said junior Justin Barnes, director of Student Rights and founder of the program. "More education leads to more participation, and more participation is necessary to make the judicial process possible."\nPamela Freeman, assistant dean of students and director of the Office of Student Ethics and Anti-harassment Program, helped the new program by participating in the seven-hour training workshop that case managers have to complete before beginning.\n"I think it is helpful for (students) to talk with someone outside this office," Freeman said.\nThe campus judicial system hears about 2,900 cases a year. \nCase managers help students through the entire process. Chafitz is working on her first case and last week she helped a student compose a letter to one of the deans. \n"We make sure they do everything right so they don't mess up their chances," Chafitz said. \nCase managers are available to the students for consultation and support. It is up to the student as to the amount of involvement by the case manager. Involvement includes attending hearings, meetings and making sure students know and reach deadlines. \n"The administration is very experienced at doing this," Musgrave said. "The students aren't. You may only go through the student judicial process once, but that once can have ramifications on your future."\nThe program is still in its advertising stage, but more than half of the 26 case managers have been trained. Training consisted of a seven-hour workshop. Those case managers are ready to help and some have already begun.\n"We are right at the beginning," Musgrave said. "As soon as people start walking through the door we can help them."\nGroups like the Student Advocates and Student Legal Services also help and serve students. The Student Advocates are retired faculty and administrators. They help to inform, advise and direct students with a variety of problems. They receive approximately 1,000 inquiries a year. \nStudent Legal Services gives legal and litigation advise to students. They deal with accidents, debts and other legal problems that students may encounter. The staff consists of lawyers and second- and third-year law students. They help around 4,000 clients during a year. \n "(The Student Judicial Program) adds another pool of knowledgeable people in the form of peers," Freeman said.\n The program differs from these other services because it directly addresses the IU judicial system and the students who become involved with the campus legal system. The Student Judicial Program helps to inform students on their rights as IU students, and students receive this advice and support not from administrators or lawyers but fellow students. \n"Students can help students as well as anybody else," Barnes said. "We can help each other"