Deadline to apply for IUSA Supreme Court Friday

Students interested in serving as associate justices can apply for the IU Student Association Student Body Supreme Court by 5 p.m. Friday. There are three associate justice positions available, said Meghan Dwyer, Student Body Supreme Court Chief Justice. Applications can be found on the court’s Web site, www.indiana.edu/~court/, and should be turned in to the IUSA office, room 387 in the Indiana Memorial Union.\nThe positions are open to undergraduate and graduate students. All majors are accepted, but Dwyer, a law student, said it’s particularly good for students who want to go to law school or are interested in criminal justice.\n“We’re the appeals process, so when students violate a conduct, whether academic or social in nature, they are heard by a judicial board,” Dwyer said. \nStudents who are unhappy with the outcome of their informal judicial board hearing can appeal the decision and receive a formal hearing. These formal hearings are heard by a hearing commission, which comprises one associate justice and two faculty members, according to the student ethics Web site.\nThese cases range from burning candles in residence halls to sexual harassment and rape to academic misconduct, Dwyer said.\n“The campus review board is the last chance for (a student’s) appeal,” she said.\nDwyer said she serves on this hearing commission with a faculty member and administrator, and while they hear very few cases, the ones they do hear are very important because they deal with issues like expulsion.\nDwyer said once a student is on the “court” as an associate justice, there are many other opportunities available, including serving on various advisory boards.\n“Once you’re on the court, it’s kind of a symbol to the administrators that you’re a leader,” she said. “You can make the experience what you want to, and you’re surrounded by such motivated people.”\nInternal Affairs Committee Chair Chris Amick said the work is worthwhile because it is an important process and really affects students’ lives. However, being a justice can be a tough job, because you’re handing out sentences to your peers, he said.\n“It’s kind of a hard process because you can end up expelling a student,” he said. “You have to weigh the incident and the student with the needs of the University and community.”