Pago 4 TheLanco 23, 1989
A Message From the Asst. Student Defense Counsel
Dear Editor,
As a Senior I am angered with the latest fiascos
that have been brought to my attention. The first
thing is the 60 page epistle that was written by
the Dean of Students. A copy of this document is
availiable in the Library.
She writes, "The players in the system are: an
'Attorney General,' a 'Student Defense Counsel,'
and two 'Assistant Student Defense Cousels,'
and a 'Prosecutor.' A student may be a 'defen-
dent' in 'court' and a student may be 'prosecuted'
and receive 'sentencing.' It is unclear why such
legal terms are used in a judical system that
should be informal and have educational value
instead of giving the appearance of being puni
tive." (p. 31)
I see this as a direct mockery of the Student
Judicial System. Since this is an institution of
higher learning, why use terms that would have a
lesser meaning than 'defendent' or 'counsel'?
These words have a definite meaning that a
college student - nay an adult - should know!
Therefore, we should keep the clear 'legal' lan
guage. If the JUDICIAL System is not punitive,
then just what is it?!?
This system is.for students who deviate from
the Honor Code, for them to be tried by their
peers. A decision will be made by the Court,
placing limitations on defendent's activities if
necessary. If this is not a sentence, what is it?
The Attorney General and the other players have
a legitimate role included in a syptem that the
Dean wishes to dismiss. The students involved
as players were elected by a majority vote of their
own peers. This empowers them with the right to
represent the student body.
As long as we are on the topic of 'players,' what
of the Dean's actions in decidi-'.g cases? it is the
Attorney General's job to charga students with
Honor Court violations and then to investigate the
cases. During this academic year, the Daan has
called the 'students in question' into her office
and has told them what they had done wrong.
She then proceeded to intimidate them into a
sentence, set by her and not by a forum of their
own peers. She either neglected to tell the stu
dents that they had a right to a trial or by the time
she told them they were too scared to take any
thing but their 'sentence.' ALL STUDENTS: YOU
HAVE A RIGHT TO A COURT HEARING, DON'T
LET THE DEAN TELL YOU OTHERWISE. Also,
you have a right to have a counsel present when
you are called to the Dean’s office for such mat
ters. At this time, I call for a forum with Dean
Greer so that she will answer questions regarding
this letter and her actions against the St Andrews
community.
Personally, I believe that the Dean's actions are
only a continuation of her 'power hungry' efforts
to gain almost absolute power over the students
at SA. I am also appalled that the administration
would neglect the requests made by Neal
Bushoven.
These requests are certainly warrented, espe
cially those regarding student safety. If there are
priorities within the SA system, what are they?
Who decides them? As a student who pays
$10,000 a year to attend this establishment, I
believe that in some areas we are being robbed
blind. (The educational quality is not in question
here at all, it is the quality of life that I am con
cerned about.) As consumers we have rights-
rights that the administration seems to neglect!!
As students, we need to band together and
make our demands for justice and our rights
known. The administration cannot lend a deaf ear
to 800 paying customers. We have rights! Use
Them!
Sharon Fields
Assistant Student
Defense Counsel
"I want a job as a journalist — but everyone asks, 'do you have any
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less I haue eKperience?!"
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