In the face of these responses, it quickly became clear that our committee needed to propose fundamental changes rather than attempt to make cosmetic repairs to a system in which so many people have lost confidence. The erosion of community support for the judicial system, however, does not stem from any philosophical objection to the idea of an Honor Code and Fundamental Standard. Quite to the contrary, the idea of having students agree to abide by a common standard of ethical conduct has considerable support within the community. The problems arise in the administration of the judicial system and in the processes that have grown up over the years, many of which in fact obscure the fundamental principles on which the Honor Code and Fundamental Standard were established. Students are largely uninvolved in the judicial process.
Faculty routinely ignore or circumvent the judicial process.
The judicial process is overly complex, legalistic, and time- consuming. The current multiple roles of the Judicial Affairs Officer create the appearance of, and possibly an actual, conflict of interest. Some people are concerned that the current burden of proof may be too high. There is insufficient latitude in the assignment of penalties. In response to the charge from President Casper, the committee has developed a new legislative and judicial charter that we believe meets the desired goals.