 . . . June 1995
Regents say code must be revised The Regents in April approved continuing the current Statement on Student Rights and Responsibilities, known as the "student code," as an interim document and told Vice President for Student Affairs Maureen Hartford to return in the fall with a simple statement of values that does not infringe on First Amendment rights.
The code is the University's policy concerning non-academic conduct an interim basis in January 1993 and has been reviewed by the Regents each year. In putting forth the motion, Regent Rebecca McGowan (D-Ann Arbor) said the Board wanted "a clear, concise statement, understandable and fair process, that is less legalistic and ponderous" than the current document.
The Regents also said that the drafting process for the new version of the statement should include "direct consultation with students who are popularly elected and others at her [Hartford's] determination."
Regent Deane Baker (R-Ann Arbor), who voted against retaining the current statement on an interim basis, said that "codes of conduct written poorly can be speech codes" and said he thought Regents' Bylaws give the president sufficient authority to act when necessary. Nevertheless, he said he might support a "simpler and better" code. On the Thursday preceding the Regent's Friday vote, approximately 100 students entered the lobby of the Fleming Administration Building to voice their opposition to the code currently in force. "We are peaceful, nonviolent students who simply want to tell the Regents that we care and that the code is wrong," stated Flint Wainess '96 of Birmingham, Michigan, who is the Michigan Student Assembly (MSA) president.
Some students said that MSA's judicial body should assume responsibility for handling student disputes, but others opposed that position, and argued that the courts should decide judicial matters and the University should stay out of the judicial system.
Regent Philip H. Power (D-Ann Arbor) said the code should function separately from the legal system. And Regent Shirley M. McFee (R-Battle Creek) said the value of a code of conduct is to help students make the transition from a parent-dominated environment to one in which students have more responsibility for their actions. "Any code, any process, has to have an educational and participatory element," she said.
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