Current Stanford students are encouraged to apply to join a new committee that will embark on a review of the Student Judicial Charter, which governs the university’s individual accountability process for students. The review aims to update the current charter, which was created 23 years ago, and develop a more efficient process that focuses on student learning and fairness.
Associated Students of Stanford University executives Erica Scott, ’20, and Isaiah Drummond, ’20. (Image credit: Alex Kekauoha)
In a message sent to students Wednesday, ASSU executives Erica Scott, Isaiah Drummond and Remy Gordon explained that the committee will include four students, four faculty and two staff. The student representatives will be one ASSU senator, one graduate student councilor and two at-large students selected through the Nominations Commission (NomCom) process.
“This allocation is intended to ensure broad representation from both the undergraduate and graduate student populations,” they wrote.
The committee is charged with examining whether the current Judicial Charter and related policies create a system of student accountability that aligns with the values and needs of today’s campus community, including fostering student development and learning.
Specifically, the committee will examine whether the Fundamental Standard requires interpretative refinements and whether the university should continue to operate under the Honor Code as written for matters of academic integrity. The committee should then determine whether amendments are required to the charter in order to align our administrative processes with our community values.
If changes are required, the committee should create a Judicial Charter of 2020 and related policies to be implemented in the next academic year. Finally, the committee should make recommendations for how to ensure that Stanford’s student accountability system can continue to be relevant and a part of the campus culture for future generations at Stanford.
During this process, the committee will seek community feedback, including in-person and online opportunities.
Additionally, Scott, Drummond and Gordon wrote that students have expressed concerns that the committee is specifically focused on changing the burden of proof used in Office of Community Standards cases.
“We would like to clarify that, according to the charge, the committee is intended to broadly consider the judicial process in its entirety,” they wrote. “All of the questions listed in the committee charge represent important ethical, philosophical and practical considerations that are an integral part of any comprehensive conversation about the judicial process. Because the burden of proof is a central aspect of this process, it is natural that the committee should discuss it during its review of the Judicial Charter.”
Students interested in serving on the committee should send an email to the Nominations Commission with a resume and a short letter detailing their interest in joining. Emails should be sent no later than Sunday, Jan. 5 at 11:59 p.m. – the last day of winter break.