The University Judiciary Committee amended its bylaws Sunday evening, which they hope will eventually encompass a larger initiative to restructure the Sexual Assault Board and its procedures.
Prior to the bylaw change, students would not be permitted to serve on both the UJC and the Sexual Assault Board, but that no longer is the case.
"Now members of UJC may also sit on the Sexual Assault Board," UJC Chairwoman Katie Graney said.
Currently, when a victim files a complaint, it is brought before UJC. However, if the complaint is related to a sexual assault, UJC does not hear the case and it is forwarded to the Sexual Assault Board to rule on it.
"Sexual assault charges are completely confidential like with Honor and UJC, and so are the proceedings," Graney said.
Appeals of cases ruled on by UJC are directed to a Judicial Review Board.
Both students and faculty members serve on the Judicial Review Board and the Sexual Assault Board. Students undergo an application and interview process to be selected for one of these positions.
The Sexual Assault Board and Judicial Review Board once were comprised of the same members, but this is no longer the case.
"The Judicial Review Board and Sexual Assault Board used to be made up of the same people," said Mary Ellen Bizzarri, UJC vice chairwoman for trials.
At that time, it would have been impossible to serve on UJC and the Judicial Review Board because judges could potentially rule on a case and rule on its appeal.
"We can't have our own judges reviewing cases they might have sat on," Bizzarri said.
Because the Judicial Review Board and the Sexual Assault Board now are separate entities, this problem no longer can arise.
"We made the change because there is no logical reason anymore for that by-law to be as it is," Bizzarri said.
A group led by Madelyn Wessel, assistant to the vice president for student affairs, is looking to further improve the Sexual Assault Board through expanding options available to victims.
Currently, sexual assault victims only have two procedures -- mediation or adjudication before the Sexual Assault Board -- after filing a complaint.
Further alternatives are being developed pending approval from the President's Office.
"I think the changes are positive and far-reaching," Wessel said. "But we are still very much in the final development stages."
The bylaw change "is going to help with the bigger process to improve the sexual assault procedures, so they are more efficient and effective in helping students," Graney said.
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