IFC changes judicial plan

The Interfraternity Council approved a new charter for the Greek Peer Judicial Board, an internal board designed to adjudicate self-imposed rules on Greek groups, in a closed session last night. The new charter was ratified by the Panhellenic Council last Wednesday. Final approval for the plan must be given by the vice provost for University life. The original charter was ratified by the three Greek umbrella organizations in December 1988, but it was not approved by the University because of "legal language" problems, Ken Harrell, one of the architects of the new charter, said last night. According to the new charter, the GPJB's jurisdiction consists of all areas not covered by the University's policies and procedures. It is to "enforce purely Greek-designed, Greek-imposed extra-regulations," said Steve Poskanzer, a staff lawyer for the University. In addition, the GPJB will handle "anything that the University decides not to prosecute and hands down to us," said Panhel GPJB representative Lisa Spivack, a College and Wharton senior. According to IFC President Jim Rettew, the GPJB and University have an "understanding" that over time, the GPJB's jurisdiction will expand to cover more Greek-related areas. He foresees this responsibility to include even hazing violations. "We will gain further responsibility as we prove our effectiveness," said Rettew. The present prosecutor for the GPJB, Chris McLaughlin, said he expects this increased responsibility to come within the next two or three years. The new charter also changed the number of people who preside over cases from five, one from each organization and two from the umbrella group representing the chapter under investigation, to three, one from each umbrella organization, said Spivack. In addition, Spivack said, the changes include an amendment process. Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson said yesterday she will give final approval to any amendments as well as the initial document. One of the major issues the GPJB will consider is the IFC's BYOB policy, which was instituted last semester. College junior Rettew said more BYOB cases may be heard as "our members see it [GPJB] as a more credible body." Spivack said she and the rest of the GPJB are "definitely troubled" that BYOB violations have not been prosecuted "when there certainly have been some." "We are not out to get Greeks since we are Greeks." she said, "We just want to establish a credibility among the Greek system." According to Harrell, only five or six cases were investigated by the GPJB's prosecutor, and none were heard by the board. Spivack said that the GPJB is not a police organization. It can only act if someone files a complaint. Harrell said the ratification of the charter shows that "Greeks are ready to govern themselves." In other IFC business, the IFC selected Guy Ashley, a Delta Kappa Epsilon brother, as its GPJB administrator for next year and Brett Barth, of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Brian Study, of Alpha Chi Rho, as its two representatives for next year's board.

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