University officials and students agree that changing the Student Conduct Code to include off-campus activities may not be the right answer for preventing future riots, nor is it the proper punishment.
In a meeting held Thursday, a task force composed of community and University officials met to discuss revising the Student Conduct Code to include riotous activities, with the ultimate result a resounding ‘no.’
After meeting for two hours, the group of about 20 individuals concluded any change to the conduct code wouldn’t prevent riotous activity from occurring in the future.
Associate Vice President for Institutional Affairs Jan Oliver said the University has discussed adding off-campus riotous activities to the conduct code, but no decision has been made.
“I think if we made the change, in terms of results, I don’t see it as a solution,” she said.
ASUO Outreach Coordinator Jesse Harding said there are other ways to reach students other than threatening to expel them from school. He said he thinks the riots were an alcohol-fueled event, and it would be more effective to educate students about alcohol consumption through programming.
Student Affairs Vice President and Dean of Students Anne Leavitt said she does not think the Student Conduct Code should be used as a preventative measure.
“It’s a catch-and-release program that may not change social behavior,” she said. “It’s just not preventative — it occurs after the incident.”
The University first developed the Student Conduct Code to deal with academic dishonesty in the 1960s and currently, the code only applies to on-campus activity, Director of Student Judicial Affairs Chris Loschiavo said.
“The purpose of the conduct code is to create an environment that is conducive to learning,” he said.
Loschiavo said he is unsure about applying off-campus activity to the conduct code because it is not meant to enforce laws. In fact, many of its regulations, such as academic dishonesty, are not a violation of any federal or state law, he said.
Loschiavo said he is not sure what the proper punishment should be for riotous behavior because there are different degrees of participation concerning riots.
Suspension and expulsion only occur when a student is perceived as a safety risk or if he or she has cheated academically more than once, Loschiavo said.
He said he is unsure if adding riotous activity to the list will solve the problem.
“Just because we suspend a student, that doesn’t mean they’re leaving the community,” he said.
Loschiavo added that it would be difficult for the University to extend its jurisdiction beyond campus because it doesn’t have easy access to crime reports from the Eugene Police Department, as it does from the Department of Public Safety.
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