At a meeting yesterday, the Honor Committee considered proposals to alter its bylaws to comply with suggestions listed in the Honor System Review Commission Report, released last November.
The changes discussed last night, which pertains to the investigations process, include changing the order in which honor investigations proceed, changing the order in which investigative panels proceed and eliminating the concept of "confrontation" of the investigated student.
Changes to the honor bylaws require an affirmative vote by a simple majority of the Committee.
"Overall, these revisions will help with the structure of the investigation process, making it cleaner and less repetitive," said Ginny Rothschild, vice chairwoman for investigations. Rothschild introduced the proposals to the Committee.
The third proposal changes the word "confront the investigated student" to "interview the investigated student" to eliminate negative connotations.
Investigative panels would be more efficient and require less time of the students involved, Rothschild said.
The proposed changes are part of a larger effort by the Committee to overhaul Honor Committee bylaws.
Committee members also are working on possible changes to the bylaws to reflect any constitutional amendments passed by the student body in the referenda on the Student Council ballot at the end of February.
Eventually, the Committee plans to streamline its bylaws and create a "Practice and Procedures Manual." The manual would include the rules of practice and procedure now in the bylaws and would set forth guidelines for investigations, pre-hearing conferences, hearings, appeals and grievances. But it would not establish legal rights for students involved in honor proceedings.
The bylaws, which currently run 20 pages in length, would be shortened to a "bare framework" and still would amply protect students' due process rights, Honor Committee Chairman Thomas Hall said.
Such changes would give the Committee more flexibility in its operations and reduce the risk of liability the Committee now faces if it does not follow its bylaws.
There are two stages to this revision process, said Hall.
"First we have to ... make sure the bylaws and the Constitution are consistent. Then will be a good time to work on the manual," Hall said.
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