As the end of the 2012-13 academic year approaches, DePauw Student Government is focusing on the changes that will come with the new academic year.
Student Body Executive Vice President Mark Fadel stated in an email that the majority of Sunday's student government meeting was spent discussing a change of the community standards process.
So far in this past academic year, there have been 29 infractions handled by DePauw Community Standards-averaging almost one per week.
This number may surprise students, as the Community Standards process is currently handled "purely through an administrative process," according to Director of Community Standards Meggan Johnston.
However, starting next year, the community standards process is about to change.
"We are moving the process to be much more community-based, drawing in students, faculty and staff," Johnston said. "[In the new process] we will have a private hearing every week, and all cases will be adjudicated by one faculty member, one staff member, and three students."
Currently, Community Standards evaluates both individuals' and organizations' cases through one-on-one interviews and two review boards that consist purely of administrators.
In drawing from staff, faculty and the student population in the future, they hope to change the fact that a small group of administrators are the only ones involved in imposing sanctions that can affect a large part of the DePauw campus.
"The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of cases," Johnston said. "Peer-to-peer accountability is one of the most effective forms...You can't change a drinking culture by punitive measures alone. The campus climate and education also play a role."
Students have mixed opinions on whether or not these changes will better the system compared to the current process.
"I think it's good because [Community Standards will] get the opinions of staff that actually deal directly with the students," freshman Emily Behrens said.
Carefully selecting those who are on the committee is a concern for the program.
"[Community standards] has to make sure they have the right students on the board that will take the problems seriously even though they're judging other students," Behrens said.
According to Johnston, the concerns of confidentiality and conflict of interest arise often when describing the new system to students.
"All board members will be expected to maintain confidentiality. One of the first things we will have board members do is fill out conflict of interest form," Johnston said. "All board members will disclose all campus affiliations."
The future board will mainly review cases from student organizations. The exception to this, however, is if an individual denies guilt of an infraction, but there is cause to for suspicion that they are, in fact, guilty. Then, the student will be referred to the community board for a hearing.
"These cases [of students denying guilt] are rare," said Johnston.
However, freshman Julia Roell said she sees drawbacks to this proposed policy.
"It's pressuring them to plead guilty," Roell said. " If you are in the community standards process, it's more like you're guilty until proven innocent than innocent until proven guilty."
However, Roell believes that the new process will be effective in eliminating potential bias towards specific student organizations.
According to Johnston, the community standards office has collected about 80 diverse student nominations from faculty, staff and student organization leaders to become potential student board members.
They will be notified by e-mail this week, and will be given the opportunity to submit a short application, if they are interested in participating in the new community standards process. Students who are interested in self-nominating themselves for the position are encouraged to contact Community Standards this week.
The new process potentially could cause conflicts between the board of students and those who are being accused.
In regards to this potential problem Behrens said, "People going through the process can't expect the students on the board to side with them just because they're the same age group,"