Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / Aug. 27, 2010, edition 1 / Page 7
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THE PENDULUM MOVE-IN ISSUE FRIDAY. AUGUST 27. 2010 // PAGE 7 Judicial Affairs office upholds the Elon Honor Code Melissa Kansky Multimedia Editor Honesty. Integrity. Responsibility. Respect. These four words make up the Elon Honor Code and characterize the standards to which Elon University’s administration holds their students. A violation of these four values results in a hearing with the judicial conference. “Our judicial affairs process is based on the (Elon University) honor system, which is based on the honor code,” said Jodean Schmiederer, the assistant dean of students for judicial affairs. “There are academic violations and social violations that all stem from the honor code.” Although the Office of Judicial Affairs does not track cases according to students' year, Schmiederer said she believes that freshmen and sophomores commit the majority of social violations. “The majority of violations are underage alcohol possession and consumption," Schmiederer said. A majority of violations in regards to underage alcohol possession and consumption generate from the residence halls, which mostly house freshmen and sophomores. Education During orientation, Resident Assistants have conversations with new students to notify them of the policies, Schmiederer said. The Call to Honor ceremony, informative College Coffees, the honor code pledge, distribution of the honor code coins and additional awareness campaigns enable students to become familiar with the honor code and possible violations. There are significantly more social violations than academic violations, according to Schmiederer, yet plagiarism, an academic violation, finds residence with students of all ages. Although English 110 classes, as well as most music and journalism classes, currently discuss what constitutes plagiarism, Schmiederer said Elon supports additional education. “Plagiarism is pretty evenly distributed (throughout the grades),” Schmiederer said. “It is certainly not something that is more heavy among the freshmen and sophomores. Schmiederer said there are additional campus-wide educational programs about what constitutes plagiarism. Advice for new students Although not just freshmen are responsible for underage alcohol consumption and plagiarism, according to Schmiederer, there are a handful of problems associated with new students. VIOLATING THE ELON HONOR CODE FIRST OFFENSE 10 Campus Parent . Alcohol Restitution & & Notification & O'"Cial & Education Letter Warning Program Hours 20 Campus a-Tcn Parent Alcohol Substance SECOND OFFENSE RestitutL &|150&NotificationEducationAbuse ur r Fine Probation Program Assessment 35 Campus ^ Parent • i- Alcohol Substance THIRDOFFENSE Restitution & $300 & Notification Education & Abuse inir\Uurrt_i>iOi_ p,ng Suspension® p^og^gm Assessment FOURTH OFFENSE Normally, disciplinary suspension for one year. Social policies apply both on and off campus. “Going to a party off campus does not mean that the honor code does not apply,” she said. The code applies from the time a student is admitted until graduation, she said, including before classes start, during breaks, while abroad and at home. A student can be in the presence of alcohol if he is under 21 as long as he does not consume the beverage. But it is not okay to be in the presence of illegal drugs, even if the student is not using any substances, according to the honor code. At Elon if a student is in the presence of alcohol but not drinking, he has the right to ask for an alco-sensor, which functions similarly to a breathalyzer. Drinking games or any activity that encourages high risk or rapid consumption of alcohol is an honor code violation, regardless of the student’s age. Safety and protection Aside from adhering to state law, additional policies at Elon strive to maintain a safe environment while protecting the social interests of the students. The Innocent Bystander policy allows students under 21-years-old to be in the presence of alcohol, but not consume, and not be charged with a violation. The Good Samaritan law protects those in danger as well as those attempting to serve the impaired. This policy allows students to call for help for an alcohol related problem without suffering responsibility for a social violation. “(Nevertheless) what students do in class, in their dorm room and as part of our community, we expect students to live in honorable ways,” Schmiederer said. Consequences The severity of the punishment differs according to the violation. “We have multiple levels of warning that start as a warning and go up to permanent separation from the university,” Schmiederer said. “If it is a repeated offense or a more severe violation, the more severe the sanction warning level.” If a student is assigned preliminary suspensions, he is not eligible to study abroad or hold a leadership position for a year. Service hours, fines and educational components such as a workshop, a paper or a project may serve as punishment as well. “The goal is to help students understand why what they did was inappropriate and unacceptable at Elon,” Schmiederer said. Finding evidence Schmiederer said Elon doesn’t have the staff to investigate at the same level as the court system. Although the court system demands evidence “beyond a resonable doubt,” the Elon judicial system requires a preponderance of evidence, meaning SARAH BETH COSTEU.O | Graphics Edtot information must suggest an individual is “more likely than not" responsible for a violation, as stated on the judicial affairs website. “The preponderance of evidence is very typical of college campuses around the country,” she said. Process Once there is a preponderance of evidence that suggests a member of the Elon community — student or faculty — has violated the honor code, he will first be notified that the Office of Judicial Affairs is aware of the incident. The accused will then go before a hearing officer for a hearing with the judicial conference to ensure the charges correspond with the student. If the offense occurred within the residence halls, the administrative hearing goes before the residence life director or the assistant director. If the violation takes place outside the residence hall, the hearing goes before Schmiederer or Whitney Gregory, the coordinator of judicial affairs. “If it’s a significant violation and effects the university community, that case may be heard in front of the honor board,” Schmiederer said. At the hearing, the accused can explain the violation from his perspective, inform the officer of his involvement, present witnesses and respond to the information initially given to the hearing officer. After the hearing, the hearing officer or honor board forms a decision. "If the student is not satisfied with the decision, he can request an appeal,” Schmiederer said. t)ont formt to pick up tkese tkiiii|s Rachel Southmayd Senior Reporter The moving-in process can be both memorable and harrowing for new students and their parents. And within the first few weeks of school, there’s bound to be items that no Elon University student should ever be without, but may not have thought to pack on the first trip. While Elon tap water is technically safe to drink, it doesn't have the most refreshing taste for every palate. Some dorm dwellers find a water pitcher with an attached filter to be an excellent alternative to spending lots of money on bottled water. Using a filter is also a more environmentally friendly option than purchasing water bottles. On the same thread, while many of Elon’s eating establishments have great beverage options, eating out all the time can generate a lot of trash. Diners can help cut back on waste by purchasing a reusable water bottle for cold beverages and mug for warm beverages. Most food spots will be glad to let a student use these instead of their disposable options. The weather in North Carolina can be unpredictable, but it’s a good bet there will be a damp day at some point, so rain gear is a must. A large number of girls find that rain boots, which come in a variety of colors and styles, are a must-have, and umbrellas can also become a hot commodity when the clouds roll in. Dorm rooms themselves, many students and their parents find themselves making several trips to Target and Bed Bath and Beyond during orientation. A body pillow is a common addition to a dorm bed. “I got one because people were always in and out of my room last year," said sophomore Christa Muldoon. “They’re just good for when friends are around as extra sitting or laying space.” Another common purchase is a metal rack that stands or hooks onto any bed to hold a cell phone, book or clock. Other students found that some items made living with a roommate a little more bearable. Sophomore Jordan Duhfee said he wishes he had brought earplugs to school from the beginning to block out dorm noise. “It definitely would have made getting through the nights a lot easier," he said. Storage can also be an issue in such confined spaces, so plastic bins, extra shelving and tools like baskets and plenty of hangers can make keeping clothes and other belongings tidy a lot easier. Since so many dorms at Elon are suite-style, many students do not realize they will be responsible for the maintaining of their own bathrooms. Items like Drano, cleaning supplies, mold-proof shower caddies, and bath mats are necessities. Most importantly though, a dorm room is home for the year, so it’s important to get things that make it feel comfy. Cushions for desk chairs, stick-up wall decorations, posters, extra picture frames, rugs and extra “cozy” seating can be last-minute items that make a cinderblock cube actually feel like a place where a student can live, learn and grow through their first year at Elon.
Elon University Student Newspaper
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