University of Virginia Library

Council Member Berates
Student Rights Committee

By Ann Brown
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Mike Cohen, a third-year Law student,
resigned yesterday from the Blue Ribbon
University Committee on Student Rights
and Accountabilities, citing the dearth of
activity by the committee up to this
point.

In a letter to D. Alan Williams. Vice
President for Student Affairs. Mr. Cohen
stated. "The concept of this committee
was reluctantly endorsed by Student
Council after assurance that it would be
formed without delay and charged with
the task of evaluating the University's
stance on the issue of student discipline
and eventually producing a
comprehensive proposal."

Mr. Cohen. Council representative
from the Law School and Chairman of
the Council's Student Rights Committee, told
the C.D. that there had been opposition to the
establishment of the Blue Ribbon Committee
"just because we thought it would be a
foot-dragging enterprise." He added that he and
Council President Kevin Mannix had prevailed
on Council to endorse it because that was the
way the Code of Conduct should have been
written originally.

Mr. Mannix stated that in talking with Mr.
Williams around March 25, "we were given the
impression that this was a most important
committee and that it would be appointed and
get going very quickly. Council only went along
with the committee because of those
assurances and the assurances that it would not
deal with the specific questions of the Code but
with the general question of whether on not
students should establish then own rules and
regulations. That hasn't happened."

Mr. Cohen, who is a member of the
Society, commented in an interview. "Even it
the committee met tomorrow nothing could be
done." He continued. "There's no guarantee
that this Blue Ribbon Committee would ever
have any power."

Mr. Mannix stated that he had written
letters to Mr. Williams on March 25 and March
31, urging that the committee begin work
immediately. He added that these letters had
not as yet been answered Mr. Mannix
continued. "We thought that they would reach
a positive goal this spring." Student members
were selected by Council at its March 30
meeting.

Photo By Charles Sands

Mike Cohen

Law Student Resigns Committee Post

Mr. Cohen continued in his letter to Mr.
Williams. "These lead me to conclude that
Council and more importantly, the University
community at large have been dealt with
unfairly. By this prolonged delay, this
committee has been robbed of the opportunity
to make a constructive this
spine...Words cannot express the extreme
frustration I feel at your office's non action."

Mr. Cohen is a member of the Society.
Raven Society, ODK. K.A. and Phi Beta
Kappa. He served on the Editorial Board of the
Law Review and on the Law Council, the
governing board of the Law School.