Speedy trials sought by IUSA

According to University code, each IU student, when accused of academic misconduct, is guaranteed the right to a fair and speedy trial. Unfortunately, for some students, the latter does not apply.\nIn the IU Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct, when a student is accused by a professor of academic misconduct, that professor must submit a report of misconduct in writing to the Dean of Students within seven calendar days. From there, the University's judicial boards take over.\nBut some students are being held in judicial limbo by professors that are not reporting student misconduct to the dean within the time limit.\n"If the faculty member does not report the matter within seven calendar days, the student isn't officially told the sanction, and isn't officially given the information necessary to appeal the case," said senior Justin Barnes, director of the IU Student Association's Student Rights Committee.\n"In other words, the case is held in limbo, the student is held in suspense, and the system is held in a standstill," he said.\nBarnes and IUSA have been working to correct the problem since early last year.\n"The deadlines are not being followed," Barnes said. "There have (been) instances in the Student Rights Records of delays ranging from two weeks past the deadline to two months past the end of the semester."\nLast semester, Barnes met with Dean of Students Moya Andrews on how to fix the problem. They agreed to write a letter to the faculty informing them of their obligations and procedures on academic misconduct.\nThe letter was written and Andrews' committees discussed the rules, wrote the regulations, and hired administrators to enforce the code. But this wasn't enough to help the situation.\nBarnes went to Andrews again, writing a letter urging her to make sure administrators enforce these guidelines.\nAccording to Barnes' letter, "A system of justice is unjust unless those charged with administering it do so according to a fair system of rules and procedures.\n"The situation has not changed since last semester. Faculty members still ignore the Code's requirements, causing students undue hardship."\nBecause of repeated IUSA demands, Dean of Students Richard McKaig is now planning to meet with Andrews to discuss and put to rest IUSA's complaints about the judicial system.\n"I'm not sure now what the solution will be, but it's definitely something we're looking into," McKaig said. \nMcKaig said he thinks the problem may simply be professors not knowing or understanding the timeline.\n"I don't know many people that know the code backwards and forwards," McKaig said.\nMcKaig said he also believes there may not be enough time for professors to report misconduct to the University.\nBut extending the deadline may only make things worse.\n"I don't think that would be the best solution," said senior Paul Musgrave, consultant to the Department of Student Judicial Program. "That's why we have a timeline, to make sure these things don't drag on for weeks and weeks."\nMusgrave said he believes the best solution would be better administration of the current policy, rather than changing it, a change that would require a vote from the Board of Trustees.\n"I can understand why this is happening," Musgrave said. "They're having more and more cases. The system itself is probably overworked."\nBarnes agreed with Musgrave, hoping the University would simply enforce the current policy.\n"The solution to this situation is simple, direct and fairly easy to accomplish; enforce the rules," Barnes said. "Only through an eye toward fairness and a firm belief in justice can any society grow and change, including our campus and our University"