Letter from the Commission Chair
Newsletter Survey
ACPA 2001 Commission Sponsored Program Summaries
Submit a sponsored program for ACPA 2002
Commission XV New Professional of the Year Award
Join The Commission XV/ASJA ListServ
Commission Publications Highlight Model Programs & Best Practices
ACPA Commission XV Research Grant
We Need Your Help To Publish Your Next Newsletter!
Commission XV Directorate Body Members

As many others in Campus Judicial Affairs, when the academic year ends, I immediately move into a reflective mode and analyze the past year. The same holds true as I look back at the year in review for Commission XV. Just before a spectacular Nor'easter overtook Boston, the directorate body had an opportunity to meet to discuss current issues in judicial affairs, ACPA, and Commission XV. Our small group was joined during the day by Lillian Elsinga (past-Chair of Commission XV), Danielle Knabjian (Commission I), Susan Salvador (Director for Commissions), and Daniel Cummins (ACPA Executive Council). Our discussions, which were lively, focused on how our Commission Directorate serves the membership and how we can improve that service. Several specific goals for each area of Commission XV (Administration, Education, and Publications) were set forth, with the common theme being greater communication and a request for greater involvement by Commission XV members. In other words, you may get a phone call or an e-mail message asking if you would be willing get more involved by helping with activities such as reviewing nominations for awards, assisting with a pre-conference workshop, or even writing an article or reviewing a book for the next publication of XVeritas! Volunteers are also appreciated!!!

In another area of business, we discussed and have continued to monitor the Inter-Association Task Force on Disciplinary Dismissals. Liz Baldizan (ASJA), Lillian Elsinga (ACPA), Valerie Mead (AACRAO), and Wanda Mercer (ASJA) presented the findings of the task force at an ACPA Commission XV sponsored program in Boston. An abstract on page two inside gives additional details about the good work of the group. We will keep you updated on the findings and recommendations of this important task force.

Lastly, I want to thank Jeff Cullen and Wanda Ochei for agreeing to serve Commission XV as Vice Chair for Publications, and Vice Chair for Administration, respectively. As our time for reflection ends, we begin the cyclic endeavor of preparing for a new year. May your reflections be warm and your prep work for the upcoming year be reinvigorating. Have a great summer!

Sincerely,

Pat Cordner, Chair, ACPA Commission XV
 

We're migrating the Commission newsletter to a format that is retrieveable electronically. But as we go, we'd like your feedback.
Please point your web browser to:
http://www2.cyber.vt.edu/cgi-bin/quest.cgi?file=comxvnewssurvey
and fill out our online survey. Your feedback will help guide the publication of future Commission XV newsletters!

Thanks!

Each year at the annual convention, Commission XV sponsors up to five (5) programs. These programs, taken together, constitute a "track" that may be of interest to judicial affairs practitioners. This year, Commission XV sponsored three programs. The abstracts and one (of the) presenter's contact information follow:

"Disciplinary Dismissals and Student Transcripts"
Abstract: The Task Force on Disciplinary Dismissals and Student Transcripts was appointed in December 1998 to study the documentation of disciplinary dismissals on student transcripts and to formulate a joint recommendation of best practice. Comprised of representatives from four national professional associations along with two independent consultants, the task force met throughout the next two years to determine its final recommendations. The task force conducted a major national research study of institutional documentation practice in 1999. After additional legal research and a thorough examination of the issue from five major perspectives, the task force formulated a recommendation. If you would like a copy of the complete task force position paper or any additional information, please contact: Dr. Wanda L. Mercer, <mercer@tarleton.edu>

"The Influence of Institutional Context onCommunity Standards"
Abstract: Presenters from four different institutions talked about their experiences using the Community Standards Model, originally developed at the University of Nevada - Las Vegas. Community Standards are "shared agreements that define mutual expectations for how a community will function on an interpersonal level" (Piper, 1997). Those who use this model in residence halls seek to replace a philosophy of staff control with one of student empowerment. In the presentation, we discussed successes and challenges with student populations, physical environments, building/facilities staff, residence life staff, and training and support. For more information, contact: Karen Paulsell, <paulsel2@msu.edu>.

"Risk Management 101"
Abstract: America is a litigious society--even those of us in ivory towers are not immune from liability if someone falls down the steps. In this session we used everyday
examples to help familiarize participants with tort liability. In particular, we focused on negligence, defamation, violence, and alcohol-related topics. We also examined the relevant legal relationships between institutions and their constituents (constitutional, statutory, contractual, and contextual). Finally, we suggested practical ways to reduce one's liability exposure. As usual, the presentation was punctuated by a plethora of questions, comments, suggestions, and stories from the audience. For more information, contact: Mitchelle Greenlee, <mgreenlee@ucsd.edu>.
 

You will soon be receiving the "Call for Programs" for ACPA 2002. Please consider proposing a program to be one of the five sponsored by Commission XV. Not sure what you would want to present? Here is a list of topics about which conference attendees said they wanted to learn more:

• Academic Dishonesty
• Appeal Processes for Major Cases
• Mediation and Judicial Affairs
• Hate Crimes and Bias-Related Events
• Working With Medicated Students
• Balancing Victim's Rights Considerations With Due Process for the Accused
• Creative Sanctions for Cyber-Violations

The Commission XV Directorate Body was pleased to recognize Anitra as the New Professional of the Year. Nominator Martha Wisbey writes of Yusinski, "I don't know if I have ever met a young professional who has the depth, insight and motivation to make such a difference on a college campus. Anitra is passionate about what she does and is definitely committed to creating spaces on campus that are designed to educate as well as accommodate."

Anitra has persevered through five supervisory transitions and the movement of her office to a different building on campus. In the midst of change, Anitra has maintained a positive identity for the Judicial Programs area at UGA. Said Yusinski of the award recognition, "I am truly honored to have received this recognition. It is such a blessing to work in a field that supports and recognizes the development of new professionals. Thank you ACPA Commission XV!"

Established seven years ago, the listserv connects over 700 colleagues from around the country. The listserv provides a medium for the exchange of training materials, professional development opportunities, updates on case law and federal regulations, and Code of Conduct verbage ideas. Many subscribers use the listserv to give and receive feedback from colleagues regarding difficult case administration or critical campus issues. The discussion list is open to members of both ACPA and ASJA. Listserv volume varies, but rarely exceeds 25 messages per week. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to: listserv@umdd.umd.edu. In the body of the message, type: subscribe COMXV-L [yourfirstname] [yourlastname]

For example, the new message you create might look like this:

ACPA Commission XV has published two compendiums that may be helpful to your practice: a Guide to Creative Sanctions and a Model Training and Selection (of judicial committees/hearing officers) Manual. Both publications are available through the national office. Copies of the model training manual and creative sanctions guide are available for purchase through the National Office for $10.00 per copy plus $3.95 shipping and handling. Orders must be prepaid ( no purchase orders). Checks made payable to ACPA- Commission XV Requests can be sent to Attn: Donna M. Bourassa, Assistant Executive Director, One Dupont Circle, Suite 300 , Washington DC 20036-1110 or credit card payments through phone order at (202) 835-2272 .

ACPA Commission XV awarded the grant in July 2000 to a project being investigated by staff at Saint Louis University.

The purpose of their research is to gain an in-depth understanding of social control mechanisms utilized in the management of student behavior. Social control mechanisms may operate directly or indirectly, as well as internal and external with respect to the conventional campus judicial system. In this particular study, the informal social control mechanism selected for examination focuses on student disciplinary counseling implemented by residence life.

The specific aims of this exploratory analysis are to address four areas:

• Effectiveness of training received by university housing staff
• Types and frequencies of social misconduct
• Comfort level of staff in enforcing university policies
• Personal biases that have an impact on the outcome of the process

Now that the data has been collected we are in the process of analyzing the data as well as writing a final report that will be available to Commission XV and all institutions that participated in the study.

The findings from our study will be completed and available by late summer 2001. As part of the grant we will also present our findings at ACPA 2002 in Long Beach, CA. The principal investigators for the grant are: Shawn Swinigan <swinigan@slu.edu> and Terry Signorello <signortd@slu.edu>.

The deadline for the fall 2001 edition of XVeritas is September 3. E-mail your contributions, ideas for articles, suggestions or complaints to <jcullen@vt.edu>. XVeritas is published approximately three times a year. This edition was compiled on a Macintosh G4 using Adobe PageMaker 6.5 and Adobe Acrobat and web-published using Netscape Composer.