Minutes from the April 21, 2009 Executive Committee Meeting
1. President Eric Hoffman called the meeting to order at 7:00pm.
2. Hoffman swore Class of 2012 Representative Scott McClintock into office.
3. Hoffman informed the EC that appointments are tentatively scheduled for April 28th and Budget allocations will take place the week of May 4th.
4. Hoffman informed the EC that the EC has received a petition calling for a student body meeting and it will take place this term.
5. Hoffman brought up some issues the EC will consider over the next year including University Board of Appeals, sexual assault, Traveller, freshman dorm plans, White Book amendments, student interactions with law enforcement, improving upon current Voting Regulations Board regulations, school-sanctioned football tailgates, and Honor Orientation.
6. Secretary Bill Larson spoke about sexual assault at W&L. He, along with Class of 2010 Representative Edward Yeilding, will prepare a statement and other action items for the EC to consider at its next meeting.
7. Vice President Scott Centorino spoke about plans for freshman housing. The EC plans to work with Administration members to better understand the plan and other parts of the University's 10-Year Plan.
8. Anthony Ives and Regina Mills presented the EC with petitions for three White Book amendments. The proposed amendments are attached.
9. Nay Lin and members of the Student Association for International Learning (SAIL) presented SAIL's budget request. It will be considered with the other budget requests during the week of May 4th.
10. Centorino shared three White Book amendments with the EC. The potential amendments are attached. Students wishing to submit comments regarding White Book amendments should attend the EC's next business meeting or e-mail Secretary Larson at Larson.w@law.wlu.edu.
11. Hoffman adjourned the meeting into closed session at 8:09pm.
12. Hoffman reopened the meeting at 8:36pm.
13. Hoffman adjourned the meeting at 8:37pm.
Mills and Ives Amendments:
Amendment A -
Strike out the following language in the Philosophy section of the Introduction:
"The Honor System condemns only acts that the current student generation views as breaches of the community's trust, and although dishonorable conduct cannot be codified, lying, cheating and stealing have historically been found to be examples of breaches of the Honor System."
Replace with:
"The Honor System condemns acts that the current student generation views as breaches of the community's trust and cannot be codified. Although the system has historically given examples of dishonorable acts this has given rise to the impression that those examples represented an exhaustive list of dishonorable conduct. This is not the case. In fact, any breach of the community's trust represents an Honor Violation."
Amendment B -
Add the following line at the conclusion of the first paragraph of the Confidentiality and Harassment section of Enforcement Procedure:
"Any Executive Committee member who is removed from office shall not be eligible to run for any Executive Committee position in the first election subsequent to his or her removal."
Amendment C -
Replace:
"The Executive Committee shall give consideration to any proposal for amendment to the White Book that is submitted on proper motion by any member of the Executive Committee, any student with an accompanying petition signed by at least fifty current students, or the White Book Review Committee. The Executive Committee may adopt such an amendment to the White Book by a two-thirds vote of the quorum present in two consecutive votes, provided that such votes are at least one week apart."
With:
"The Executive Committee shall vote on any proposal for amendment to the White Book that is submitted on proper motion by any member of the Executive Committee, any student with an accompanying petition signed by at least one-hundred current students, or the White Book Review Committee. The vote must occur within two (2) weeks of its proposal, excluding weeks in which the school is out of session. The Executive Committee may adopt such an amendment to the White Book by a two-thirds vote of the quorum present in two consecutive votes, provided that such votes are at least one week apart."
Centorino Amendments:
MANDATORY CLOSED HEARING AMENDMENT
Procedure for an Investigation, Part IV.
from: "if the executive committee believes that sufficient evidence exists that the accused may have committed an honor violation, the committee may, by a majority vote, hold an executive committee hearing"
to: "if the executive committee believes that sufficient evidence exists that the accused may have committed an honor violation, the committee shall, by a majority vote, hold an executive committee hearing."
APPOINTEE APPROVAL AMENDMENT
Under Enforcement Procedure:
Quorum for Honor Matters
Ten voting Executive Committee members shall constitute a quorum for all honor matters. If the Executive Committee cannot meet the quorum, the President may nominate students to fill the necessary positions, subject to approval by a majority of the remaining Executive Committee members, until a quorum is reached.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH AMENDMENT
After White Book Review Committee under Student Body Announcements :
II. White Book Review Committee
A. Beginning in the 2005-2006 academic year and in every third year thereafter (2008-2009, 2011-2012, etc.), the Executive Committee shall appoint a White Book Review Committee to thoroughly examine all aspects of the White Book.
B. Members of the White Book Review Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee by the October 15 of the year in which the Review Committee is to be called.
C. There shall be nine members, one of whom shall be the chair. No current member of the Executive Committee shall be allowed to sit on the Review Committee.
D. The Review Committee shall ascertain the knowledge of those in the Washington and Lee community regarding the White Book. The Review Committee shall report periodically to the Executive Committee.
E. By March 1, the Review Committee shall submit to the Executive Committee a comprehensive report of their findings and any proposals for changes to the White Book and all other recommendations that the Review Committee deems appropriate.
III. Community Outreach Committee
A. The Executive Committee President shall appoint a Community Outreach Committee annually to foster and engage in ongoing dialogue regarding all aspects of the Honor System with the Washington and Lee community.
B. Members of the Community Outreach Committee shall be appointed by October 1.
C. There shall be eight members, one of whom shall be the chair, including two Executive Committee members, two Honor Advocates, and three Student Body members at large. Honor Advocates shall be appointed with the recommendation of the Head Honor Advocate.
D. The Community Outreach Committee shall ascertain the opinions of those in the Washington and Lee community regarding all aspects of the Honor System. The Community Outreach Committee shall report periodically to the Executive Committee.
E. By February 10, the Committee shall report a comprehensive review of the state of the Honor System, and any proposals or recommendations the Community Outreach Committee deems appropriate.