University of Virginia Library

Board Receives Proposal;
Students Request Rights

By Terry Jasperson

Can students be given control of a
system of rights and accountabilities?

"A Proposal Regarding Student Rights
and Accountabilities" will be voted on
Friday by the Board of Visitors'
Committee on Student Affairs and
Athletics. The proposal discusses the
feasibility of students taking the
responsibility for their rights and their
actions.

The proposal will be presented to the
committee by Student Council President
Kevin Mannix, Judiciary Committee Chairman
Ronald Tweel and Co-Chairmen of the Ad Hoc
Committee on Standards of Conduct. Michael
Cohen and Robert Strand. It is described by
Mr. Mannix as a "conceptual approach" to the
question of student conduct and rules.

In essence the report advocates that "there
should be no further restrictions, just as there
are no further restrictions regarding the Honor
System. As for the question of student rights,
those rights which are involved in questions of
accountabilities shall be guaranteed by the
Student Council, with the Judiciary Committee
adjudicating the cases."

In summary, the students would be
responsible for themselves and the other
members of the academic community. The
proposal states, "In order for student
self-regulation to succeed a spirit of mutual
trust must pervade in the academic
community."

One argument used to support the
acceptability of such a student-run judicial
system is the success of the University's Honor
System.

The proposal will be presented for approval
to the Board of Visitors' committee along with
the referendum on the Rights and
Accountabilities of Students that were passed
by the students in December. The committee is
made up of a majority of the members of the
main body of the Board of Visitors.

According to Mr. Mannix, if the referendum
is passed and the proposal accepted by this
body there will be little chance that it will fail
to meet the approval of the Board of Visitors.

Commenting on the proposal, Mr. Mannix
said "I think it is a good document and I think
it should be approved." He added, however,
that he is unsure of how the Board of Visitors
will react to the proposal and referendum.

The Board may approve both, either one, or
neither.