Council to debate judicial code changes; JIO split to stir debate

The absence of a split Judicial Inquiry Officer position in a proposed revamping of the University's judicial system is likely to stir tense debate at the University Council meeting today, several members predicted. The report of the oversight committee, which supervised the review of the judicial charter, will be presented for possible action, but several Council members yesterday would not say what action would be taken. In the last several years, some student leaders have called for splitting the JIO role into a "prosecutor" and a "settler." The revisions to the judicial system charter would leave the role intact. History and Sociology of Science graduate student Elizabeth Hunt, who was on the committee which reviewed the judicial charter, said that she will protest the report's recommendation not to split the JIO role. Hunt has been vocally opposed to keeping the JIO together and has been very critical of her committee's chairperson, Law Professor Steve Burbank. "Steve Burbank pretty much disenfranchised the views of the students on the committee," Hunt said. "His characterization that we lobbied the oversight committee and were overruled is incorrect. He is promoting his own agenda vis-a-vis the judicial charter and I am not exactly sure why." Mechanical Engineering Professor David Pope, who chaired the oversight committee, said he hopes the report passes, but could not guarantee that it will. With the exception of the bifurcation argument, Pope said he thinks Council will be pleased with the report. Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson said that she cannot predict if action will be taken on the judicial charter revisions. Morrisson added that the course of action taken by Council may depend on the questions and answers from the membership. Other items on today's agenda include discussion of the report of the Committee to Diversify Locust Walk and changes to the Council bylaws which add faculty representation to the Safety and Security Committee and the Book Store Committee. Faculty Senate Chairperson Louise Shoemaker said yesterday that she was unsure why the additions were being made. At last month's Council meeting, members were told the changes would be to preserve an appropriate "student-faculty balance" The meeting will be conducted under revised rules about time allocation which were the result of a frustrating October Council meeting where discussion was all but stifled. The new guidelines include specific time allocations for presentation, discussion and action on both old and new items. Shoemaker said the changes, which were passed by University Steering Committee in late October, are designed to allow discussion of all items on the agenda. "[This will give] a greater sense of orderliness and a sense that each item on the agenda is allocated a certain amount of time," Shoemaker said. A moderator will end discussion according to a pre-set schedule, and Shoemaker said she thinks meetings will end on time. The meeting is scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. in Vance Hall's Hoover Lounge.

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