Student life revamps conduct policies

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It’s late on a Saturday night, you return to your room and your roommate is passed out on a couch, head nearly inside a trashcan. They have obviously had too much to drink, but you figure they’re fine and head to bed. You aren’t responsible for their decisions, right? Wrong.

The Student Conduct Policies have been revamped. A project Director of Residence Life and Student Life, Ryan Aiello has been working on for three years.

“I’d rather be clear as possible,” said Aiello. “This doesn’t need to be a scary thing.”

Changes to the conduct policy were voted on and approved Dec. 6, 2012. And before you worry, Aiello assured “this isn’t about spanking people.”

The old polices had not been updated in more than a decade and did not illustrate Pacific’s current department structure, said Aiello.

The first policy was an addition. The policy is titled “Protection of Greater Good,” and makes it a rule to be a responsible member of Pacific’s community.

For example if you know someone has alcohol poisoning, but didn’t help and something were to go awry, you’d be held responsible under this policy.

There is also a specific anti-hazing policy.

Another addition is titled “Disruption of Student Activities.” This policy outlines that members of the Pacific University community are not allowed to prohibit others from attending class or other responsibilities. Protests can take place, but physically blocking students from class is not allowed.

In response to the 2010 suicide of Tyler Clementi, a student who was cyber-bullied because of his sexual preference, a policy on unauthorized recordings has been added. Aiello said that bullying to this degree has not occurred at Pacific, but that it is better to be safe than sorry.

The next changes were made specifically for the conduct review systems Pacific has. New policies are in place that make conduct review boards smaller and allow a mix of students and staff members.

“We want Peer Review Board to be a conversation,” said Aiello.

By making the board only three people, Aiello said he hopes that more personal conversations can happen.

In that policy there are also specific rules banning intimidation of members of PRB, “all for students safety,” said Aiello.

Students will also not be able to “pay their way out,” of PRB said Aiello.

If a student does not complete assigned sanctions, they will be put on registration hold. Once a student completes their assignments from PRB, the registration hold would be withdrawn.

There are also two new sanctions added to Pacific’s policies. Pacific as an entity has the right to revoke admission and to revoke a degree.

If a potential student breaks Pacific’s policies before attending, then authorities at Pacific have the right to revoke their admission. Same for during a student’s time at Pacific; they hold the right to revoke a degree.

“This is probably the biggest project I’ve done,” said Aiello.

Other than the specific clarifications mentioned, the policies have stayed the same.

So when you see a fellow student in distress, make sure to do your part and be in ordinance with the Protection of the Greater Good policy.

“The biggest thing I push with the RA’s and in general is all our behavior effects everybody else,” said Aiello.

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