University of Virginia Library

Students Maintain Self-Government
In Branches Of Student Affairs

By Peter Shea
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 student life.

Charged with the responsibility
of maintaining the University's high
standards and traditions are the
three formal agencies of student
administration: the Honor Committee,
the Student Council and
Committee.

Supporting these bodies are
their sub-committees such as the
Bad Check Committee, First-Year
Committee and Alderman Road
Committee.

In recent years, special ad hoc
committees have been formed by
concerned students to meet specific
problems that have arisen. Last year
under the banner of the Student
Condition, students attempted to
increase Black admissions and
create a more integrated student
body and social atmosphere.

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 10 schools, the Honor
Committee has the sole authority
to try any student accused of lying,
cheating or stealing, under penalty
of dismissal.

Student Safeguard

The Honor System is safeguarded
by the students who alone
have the power and obligation to
accuse another student of an Honor
violation. The decisions of the
committee cannot be overruled by
any other authority:

As President of the College of
Arts and Sciences, Whittington W.
Clement will serve this year as
Chairman of the Honor Committee.
Mr. Clement was elected to that
position last May.

Serving as the student voice in
University affairs, the Student
Council functions as the representative
body of student government at
the University. It consists of representatives
elected proportionately
from the various schools of the
University. The Council advises the
President and 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.

Powers Unchanged

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

The Council is directed by
officers which the members elect
each session. Arthur (Bud) Ogle of
the Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences will serve as President this
coming term.

The Council has played a large
role in having the Board of Visitors
re-examine many regulations. Two
summers ago, the Board, upon
Council's recommendation,
approved a revised car rule
permitting any student past his first
with a 2.0 average or better to
operate a motor vehicle in Charlottesville.
This past year, the
Council was instrumental in the

Board's adoption of a co-education
proposal that will go into effect
next year.

The Council also recommends to
the Student Activities Committee
allocations for student organizations.
The SAC is made up of
three student leaders, including thy
Council President, three members
of the administration, and three
faculty members.

The SAC generally follows the
Student Council's recommendations
concerning these allocations
to the 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 and
Judiciary Committees.

Judiciary

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

This body, 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 can be recommended.

The Judiciary Committee is
made up of seven judges and seven
investigators, alternating each
semester, and elected proportionately
by the different schools. The
members elected Ralph Fell of the
law school to serve as Chairman.

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

Bad Checks

The first of these is the Bad
Check Committee, comprised of
the secretaries of each school.
Students of the University enjoy
wide freedom in cashing checks in
the Charlottesville area on the
strength of the Honor System, and
it is the function of the Bad Check
Committee to see that this privilege
is not abused. Fines or even
suspension may be imposed on
offenders of the check-cashing
privilege.

The First-Year Committee,
Founded in 1963 as an advisory
body to the Council, works to solve
the problems peculiar to the first-year
man and to provide him a
voice in student affairs. Representatives
to the committee are elected
from each hall in the McCormick
Road houses and from each suite in
the Observatory Hill dormitories.

Alderman Road

In 1966, the Alderman Road
Committee was established along
the same lines as the First-Year
Committee. This group works to
provide better conditions in the
upperclass dorms, encourages
interest in student government
among the residents, and sponsors
dances and other social events for
them.