In response to the UCSD administration’s nullification of the May 22 all-campus judicial board hearing against The Koala, the A.S. Council passed a resolution June 5 that calls for the creation of an oversight committee to decide upon any future allegations of procedural violation by the judicial board.
The resolution also moves to create a judicial policy committee to review and revise the current UCSD Student Code of Conduct.
Both new bodies were proposed largely in response to the A.S. Council’s concern about the ambiguous language of the Student Code of Conduct.
“”The problem with the conduct code is there is such vague wording,”” said A.S. Commissioner of Communications Navneet Grewal. “”Just because the administration has one interpretation and the j-board has another, who’s to say that the administration has the right answer?””
The May 22 hearing was nullified last week by Director of Student Policies and Judicial Affairs Nicholas S. Aguilar, who alleged that the judicial board failed to comply with Student Conduct Code sections 22.17.16.16a-b when members of the campus media attended the proceedings.
While the administration currently decides on any discrepancies in the Student Code of Conduct, the oversight committee would be comprised of both students and administrators with students in the majority to collectively decide on any such situations.
“”[The A.S. Council] wants to set up some kind of procedural oversight that is made up of students and administrators so we all have a say,”” Grewal said. “”Because if we don’t have that, who is to stop [the administration] on another issue?””
The resolution also calls for a reform of the Student Code of Conduct, which was drafted over 20 years ago. As the code now stands, it does not meet the same standard as state and federal law. Proponents claim the proposed judicial policy committee would revise and review the Student Conduct Code in order to clear up points of contention.
“”My hope is that the review of the code will lessen the ambiguities that are currently in the Student Conduct Code, therefore making proceedings more fair for students,”” said A.S. President Jen Brown.
The A.S. Council hopes that in making this statement, it will become the first step in achieving change.
“”Yes, this is just words,”” said A.S. Vice President Internal Kevin Hsu. “”But at the same time, it’s giving us the ability to take action.””
