University of Virginia Library

Through Elected Committees

Students Rule Themselves

By Tom Adams
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Since the origin of the Honor
System, students at the University
have enjoyed a tradition of
self-government in student affairs, a
tradition that has evolved into all
phases of strong government.

Charged with the responsibility
of maintaining the University's high
standards and traditions are the
main agencies of the student
administration, the Honor
Committee, Student Council and
Judiciary Committee. Supporting
these agencies are, their
sub-committees, such as the Bad
Check Committee, First-Year
Committee and Alderman Road
Committee.

Perhaps the most important
phase of the orientation lectures
and discussions are those dealing
with the Honor System, upholder of
the University's most cherished
tradition. Consisting of the
presidents of the 11 schools, the
Honor Committee has the sole
authority to try any student
accused of lying, cheating, or
stealing, under penalty of dismissal.

The Honor System is
safeguarded by the students, who
alone can accuse another student of
an Honor violation. The decisions
of the Honor Committee cannot be
overruled by any other authority,
administrative or otherwise.

Student Council

Serving as the student voice in
University affairs, the Student
Council functions as the
representative body of student
government at the University.
Consisting of 22 representatives
elected proportionately front the
schools of the University, the
Council advises the president and
the administration, conducts all
elections, and recognizes student
organizations, providing them with
funds through the Student
Activities Committee.

Formed in 1929 by a group of
students calling themselves the
"Student Senate and Assembly,"
the Council was authorized in 1930
to operate as the voice of student
opinion, to make recommendations
to the administration and to handle
disciplinary cases.

Although in 1944 the name of
the organization was changed to its
present title, the Student Council,
its powers have been virtually
unchanged.

Car Grades

This summer, the Board of
Visitors, acting upon a
recommendation of the Student
Council, approved a new car rule
that allows any student past his
first-year with a 2.0 average or
above to operate a motor vehicle in
Charlottesville. The Student
Council, as part of their study into
student use of drugs, is sponsoring a
conference on marijuana and other
hallucinogenic drugs this fall.

A new constitution for the
Council was proposed last year, but
because revisions were needed, it
was not brought up for ratification
by the student body. The proposed
constitution would have enlarged
the Council and provided for
popular election of its officers. At
present the officers of the Council
are elected by the Council members
themselves. The new constitution
will probably be brought up this
year for approval by the Student
Council first, and then the student
body.

Funds Recommended

The Student Council also
recommends to the Student
Activities Committee allocations
f student organization. The SAC
made up of three student leaders,
including the president of the
Student Council, three members of
the administration, and three
faculty members.

The Student Activities
Committee generally follows the
Student Council's
recommendations for allocations to
student publications, clubs, and
various athletic teams.

Only the Student Council holds
the authority to act in the name of
the student body, and make and
enforce regulations for the student
body, exclusive of the Honor
Committee and Judiciary.

Disciplinary matters formerly
handled by the Student Council
now come under the jurisdiction of
the third major branch of student
government, the Judiciary
Committee.

This committee, responsible for
the maintenance of student
discipline, investigates, tries, and
penalizes those students accused of
conduct reflecting discredit on the
University.

Various types of probations and
reprimands are at the committee's
disposal as punishment for
offenders, and in severe cases
suspension may be recommended.

The Judiciary Committee
consists of seven judges and seven
investigators, rotating positions
each semester, and elected
proportionately by each school.

In addition to the major
branches of government, three
sub-committees are extremely
important to the University
students.

The first of these is the Bad
Check Committee, comprised of