Caren Holmes
Staff Writer
On Wed. April 8, Campus Council hosted a public forum in the Lowry Center to inform students about the capacities of Campus Council and the Judicial Board, as well as to answer student questions surrounding these institutions.
Jordan Griffith ’19, at-large Campus Council member, explains that the forum was also designed to provide students with an additional opportunity to voice their opinions to their students representatives.
In the forum, representatives of the Judicial Board and Campus Council representatives summarized their overall role and responsibilities within their given positions. They also discussed details of the new alcohol policy and ongoing efforts to revise the Scot’s Key.
Judicial Board Chairperson Tiffany Trunk ’17 expressed the importance of students understanding these processes because “the judicial process affects students in their daily life, not just in sanction purposes.”
Concern surrounding a lack of administrative transparency, specifically in regards to recent suspensions of several Greek life organizations, emerged as one of the primary themes during the forum. Members of the council could not provide additional information regarding the status of Greek organizations.
However, several representatives suggested that standards of due process, laid out in the Scot’s Key, had been violated in the handling of hazing cases. Students and Campus Council members alike expressed uncertainty regarding whether or not the suspensions were being sanctioned under Title IX regulations, which address issues of gender discrimination.
While Campus Council is the institution responsible for reviewing club charters, they made it clear that their members had not been included in decision making surrounding Greek suspension.
Overall, few questions surrounding Greek Life concerns were answered. Dean Buxton, who sat in the back of the forum, did not comment or respond to the statements made by Campus Council panelists.
Council members encouraged students with ongoing concerns to attend open Campus Council meetings, which take place every Thursday at 11 a.m. in the Scot Center Governance Room.
Griffith expressed the importance of continuing campus forums where students can speak to their concerns and experiences.
He explains, “As liaisons between the student body and the administration, we will continue to push for more accountability and transparency from the administration to ensure that students feel that their government and that their administration is listening to and working for them.”