Following broad review of proposed changes to Penn State's student conduct policies, University President Graham Spanier has accepted the recommendations made by the Judicial Affairs Advisory Committee. The recommendations are to be implemented by the Office of Judicial Affairs, effective immediately.
Spanier charged a special committee headed by Vice Provost Emeritus Robert Secor with reviewing student conduct policies, which fall under the Office of Judicial Affairs. Secor's group was following up on a yearlong review of the office and its procedures by the Division of Student Affairs.
A 15-page report was released Sept. 10 with an original set of 12 recommendations. Since that time the recommendations have been carefully evaluated and considered by a wide cross-section of groups across Penn State, including key administrative staff, committees within the University Faculty Senate, the Office of Judicial Affairs, Board of Trustees members, and members of student government organizations.
The final version that Spanier has now approved takes into account the additional input and feedback given by these constituencies.
"It was important to review our policies and procedures, and it was equally important to share our findings widely within our University community," said Spanier. "This open process has been extremely helpful and the recommendations have benefited from this added discourse."
Spanier said he believes the broad input that was received over the past several weeks has helped to make Penn State's student conduct policies "more flexible, more concise and more clear."
"Our Office of Judicial Affairs is considered a model across the country," Spanier said. "The procedures we have in place reflect our commitment to an educational and rehabilitative process for students, and these recommendations strengthen that valuable purpose."
To read Spanier's brief analysis on the report, along with Secor's presentation of the report, and the report itself, go to http://www.psu.edu/ur/pdf/judicialaffairs10-01-07.pdf online.