Minutes from the May 12-13, 2009 Executive Committee Meeting
(Absence Excused: Clarke, Wilson; Tardiness Excused: Hopkins; Tardy: Bowden)
1. President Eric Hoffman called the meeting to order at 7:00pm.
2. Voting Regulations Board Co-chair Mason Tillett spoke to the EC about ideas to improve the VRB. Topics discussed include Candidate Forums, a VRB Website, publication of election vote totals, revisions to VRB regulations, and electronic voting.
3. Hoffman adjourned the meeting into closed session for appointment interviews at 8:03pm.
4. Hoffman reopened the meeting at 9:00pm.
5. The EC formed the Dormstorm Taskforce of Vice President Scott Centorino, Representative Tom Bowden '11, and Representative Austin Branstetter '12 to look into the future of on campus housing.
6. Hoffman informed the EC that the University Board of Appeals will go to a randomization system for selecting students to panels (within their respective schools: undergraduate and law).
7. The EC met with current members of the UBA.
8. Hoffman adjourned the meeting into closed session at 9:15pm.
9. Hoffman reopened the meeting at 10:01pm.
10. Hoffman reminded the EC of their upcoming Panel on the Honor System with the DC Alumni Chapter on May 19th in Washington, D.C. The EC business meeting next week will take place on Monday, May 18th at 7pm due to the Panel on Tuesday.
11. The EC decided to replace the current pledge card system for first year student orientation with a bounded ledger that all first year students will sign. Secretary Bill Larson will take the lead on finding an appropriate ledger.
12. The EC selected the Gilliam Award recipient.
13. The EC selected the Pusey Award recipients.
14. Hoffman adjourned the meeting into closed session at 11:23pm.
15. Hoffman reopened the meeting at 12:24am.
16. The EC voted on Amendments from the White Book Review Committee. A list of Amendments and the votes are attached.
17. The EC voted on Amendments submitted by Anthony Ives and Regina Mills. The amendments did not pass. The votes are attached.
18. Hoffman adjourned the meeting at 12:30am.
White Book Amendments
Passed on a Second Vote
1. In the second paragraph on page 2, begin with "Students enjoy unparalleled academic and social freedom, and a student's word is accepted and respected both on campus and in the community." . . ."and most university buildings remain open twenty-four hours per day."
Vote: Approved 10-0
2. In the fourth paragraph on page 2, change the second to last sentence to read: "Rather, the System is, [ DELETE in essence], one of mutual trust--trust among students, faculty, administrators, and the townspeople that students will conduct themselves honorably at all times, whether in the community or on campus."
Vote: Approved 10-0
3. In page 3, paragraph 1 of Summary of Enforcement Procedures at the bottom, replace final two sentences with "The Executive Committee may, at its discretion, refer violations of University policy or of any other regulation to the appropriate committees, but the Executive Committee retains jurisdiction over all questions of honor."
Vote: Approved 10-0
4. On page 3, under The Pledge, replace "The recommended form of the pledge is" with "The written pledge is."
Vote: Approved 8-2 (Disapprove: Hopkins, McClintock)
5. On page 4, under Confidentiality and Harassment, paragraph 2, change "any student" to "anyone;" strike "for breaking this confidentiality;" and strike "student" from "any student witness," so that it reads "any witness."
Vote: Approved 10-0
6. Page 7, Section A4, second sentence changed to read "Otherwise, the accused may choose any two consenting members of the student body to serve as representatives."
Vote: Approved 10-0
7. Section A2, page 6, add "and cannot serve as witnesses."
Vote: Approved 10-0
8. Section B2, page 7, strike Executive Committee and leave as "hearing" at the end of the sentence
Vote: Approved 10-0
9. C1, page 7: Strike the "1"
Vote: Approved 10-0
10. C, page 7: Strike the "Separate" in heading
Vote: Approved 10-0
11. Section D, page 7: Add new words at end so that section reads "If the accused testifies, refusal to answer questions may be held against the accused. Refusal to testify may also be held against the accused."
Vote: Approved 10-0
12. Add a new section E, page 8, renumbering E to F: "The accused shall be provided two advocates immediately after the Charging to be available to serve as representatives."
Vote: Approved 10-0
13. Page 4, quorum for honor matters, add a new third sentence to read "For the remainder of the hearing, appointees shall be considered members of the Executive Committee."
Vote: Approved 10-0
14. Page 9, re-letter Sections so that letter E is new letter B, re-number rest of sections
Vote: Approved 10-0
15. Page 9, re-lettered Section B: "The Executive Committee may go into Executive Session at any time at the President's discretion. Only current members of the Executive Committee and members of the Executive Committee-elect may be present at the Executive Session. Any discussions during the Executive Session will not be included in the transcript of the hearing."
Vote: Approved 10-0
16. New section D, page 9 (re-letter other sections): "The accused and advocates of the accused shall be permitted to remain present during all proceedings of the Executive Committee Hearing."
Vote: Approved 10-0
17. Switch sections F + G, pages 9 and 10 (would be re-lettered by proposed amendments)
Vote: Approved 10-0
18. In what would be Section D under amendments (current section B), capitalize Executive Session
Vote: Approved 10-0
19. Eliminate "or not" in old section G on pages 9/10.
Vote: Approved 10-0
20. Move current section H to a new section C. (pages 9 and 10)
Vote: Approved 10-0
21. Place a space between sections I and J, page 10
Vote: Approved 10-0
22. Section I, page 10, add: "If the hearing is postponed, the President shall remind all parties of their obligations under the Confidentiality and Harassment Section on page 4."
Vote: Approved 10-0
23. Section M2, page 11: new sentence to read: "If the accused does not consent, the Executive Committee shall decide whether to proceed without the evidence or to grant the accused a minimum of 48 hours (excluding weekends and legal holidays) between notice of the evidence and the hearing.
Vote: Approved 10-0
24. Section M4, page 11: Strike "shall inform the witnesses of the witnesses' status and..."
Vote: Approved 10-0
25. Section M6, page 11: "The Executive Committee and the accused or advocates of the accused may present evidence and question all witnesses." (strike "with information pertinent to the case.")
Vote: Approved 10-0
26. In Section P3, page 12, strike everything following "Student Body Hearing."
Vote: Approved 10-0
27. Place a space between D and E on page 14
Vote: Approved 10-0
28. Section C, page 14: Change current language to read: "The Chair shall appoint the Sergeants-at-Arms from the student body.
Vote: Approved 10-0
29. Switch K and L, page 14
Vote: Approved 10-0
30. Section E, page 16: Strike "also."
Vote: Approved 10-0
31. Page 2, paragraph 5, "lying cheating stealing" language changed to: "Dishonorable conduct cannot be codified. Although lying, cheating and stealing have historically been found to be examples of breaches of the Honor System, any breach of trust is a possible violation."
Vote: Approved 10-0
32. Replace "charges" with "allegations" on page 5, IV.
Rationale: At this point, the prospective charges are only allegations--they only become charges once the EC has voted to go to a closed hearing
Vote: Approved 10-0
Amendments Proposed by the EC:
1. In Section I, page 10, replace "date" with "appropriate time."
Vote: Approved 10-0
2. Section B2, page 12: Add "upon the accused's written request" to the end of the sentence.
Vote Approved 10-0
3. Move Section G before Section C on page 16 and reletter accordingly.
Vote Approved 10-0
4. Add a space between "Student Body Hearing." and "A majority" in current Section G on page 16.
Vote Approved 10-0
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."
Vote: Disapproved 0-10
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."
Vote: Disapproved 1-9 (Approved: Larson)
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."
Vote: Disapproved 0-10