The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-10-04
A New Denart,1ra


Bowdoin College is about to enter on a
new course in the matter of discipline if the
students accept a proposal which the fac
ulty have submitted to their consideration.
The new plan, which is similar to that which
has been in vogue atAmherst for some time,
may be briefly characterized as cooperative
scheme Of college government, in which
The president of the college represents the
faculty, and a jury composed of one rep
resentative from each class, one from each of
the intercollegiate societies of three or more
years standing, and ons selected by the
students who are not members of any such
fraternity represents the students. The ju-
rors are to be selected by the several classes
and societies, but the president whose rela
tions to the juror are in many respects, sim
liar to those of judge to the jury in courts
of law may refuse to allow juror to serve
on the ground that he is not Sin good and
regular standing and attendance" land this
is the only ground on which the president
can peremptorily remove juror and order
a new election. Six 81 udents may challenge
any juror "fcr cause'' aud if the President
finds the cause sufficient he may refuse to
allow the juror to serve and call upon the
removed jurors constituents % fill the va
cancy. Four jurors when properly elected
and qualified shall constitute competent
tribunal for the trial of offenders, but if the
number falls below that, the administration
of justice shall at once revert to the faculty
and remain there until the minimum num-
Der of four is restored. The jury are to elect
foreman to preside over their deibera-
tions
The president is no more to be a member
of the jury than the judge ia courts of law.
He cannot control their legitimate action as
jurymen. except in matters which are plain
ly specified la the agreement with the
students. The province of the jury
in conjunction with the president will
be to administer justice in all matters relat-
ing to the peace, order, security and good
name of the nrder graduatecollege commu-
nifty, except matters of payments due to or
from the college, of rank, appointment
or award, of conduct during recita.ions
declamations, or lectures, and of attendance
at required exercises, although even in these
matters any question of deception or DELHI
crate falsehood arising shall be submitted to
the jury for their determination. All ques-
tions of jurisdiction and validity of decisions
are to be decided by the president. Offences
are to be graded as follows:
~ DELIBERATE FALLEHooD. Penalty, dishon
orable dismissal from college,
(2) GRAVE MIsDEMEANoRs. Pesalty, removal
with the privilege of entering any college which is
willing TO receive the person removed on a state
met Of facts from the President, such statement
not to be construed as a Recommendation from this
college.
a. MAJOR OFFENCES. Penalty reprimand
with notification thereof to parent or guardian, or
suspension.
% MINOR OFFENCES. Penalty admonition, or
reprimand without notification thereof to parent or
guardian.
The complainant who may be the presi-
dent, iuryman or one of the other students
is entitled to present his case to the jury
and the latter can adopt any means which
seem most efficient for the ascertainment
of the facts, provided only they be honorable
and fair. The jury are required to submit
two verdicts, one of fact, which must be
agreed to unanimously, and one of opinion,
which must be agreed to by a majority. In
the first the jury must plainly state the
facts ascertained; in the second they must
state the grade to which in their opinion the
offence belongs, together with the extenuat-
ing or aggravating circumstances which af-
feet that grade. When the jury have rem
dered their verdict their duty ceases. The
power Of fixing the penalty rests with the
judge. He may listen to an appeal from the
convicted student, and if he finds extenuat-
ing circumstances he may modify the SEN
tence or remit it entirely, but he cannot i'm
pose heavier penalty than that of the
grade fixed by the jury.
There are many minor provisions which
define more exactly the duties of the jury
and the president and rela e to the selec-
ton of the members of the jury, but the
above are the main features of the scheme.
Before it can go into effect it must be agreed
to by the students, and if in practice the
students are not satisfied with it's workings.
they can by three-fourths vote Withdraw
from it, and the faculty have the same privi-
lege.
OF course the scheme relies for success
upon the cordial and honorable cooperation
of the students. If the jurors selected per-
form the duties of their office without fear
or favor, and receive the moral support of
their fellow students it will undoubtedly
succeed. But a jury constituted as this one
is will be peculiarly susceptible to outside
influences, aud the members will oftentimes
fipd it difficult to keep themselves free from
contamination. TO pronounce fellow stu
dent guilty of an offence which will remove
him from college will require good deal of
moral stamina when he happens to be a
good fellow" and general fayorite. The
scheme, however, has good many merits,
not the least of which are that it will stimu-
late the honor of the undergraduate and
tend to allay that hostility which too often
exists between students and faculty. Ger
tainly it is one well worth trying.