MAD; - ■ e freeze Vol. LV James Madiion University, Harrisonburg, VirglnU Tuesday, February 14, 1178 No. 34 Elimination Changes of speaker strengthen ^ proposed Honor Code By GARY REED By KENT BOOTY A recommendation not to Recent changes in the have a guest speaker at this Honor Code at James Madison year's graduation exercises University will strengthen has been sent to President the requirements for con- Carrier for his approval, viction, eliminate distinctions according to the chairman of between types of violations the Commencement com- and limit the right of appeaJl mittee. to the convicted student. Dr. Fay Reubush, com- The powers of the chair- mittee chairman, said man of the Appeals Com- eliminating the invited mittee will also be limited, speaker and confining oratory according to Dr. Raymond to brief remarks by Dr. Dingledine, chairman of the Carrier would shorten the Honor Advisory Board. previously lengthy In a set of changes ap- ceremonies which she said proved by the board Feb. 6 have been losing their dignity that number of votes in recent outdoor exercises. necessary for a conviction The loss of dignity in the A BULLDOZER moves dirt on Cantrell Ave., due to the weather resumes. was changed from a simple ceremonies, Reubush said, as construction which was brought to a halt majority of Honor Council was due to the fact that the Photo by Dave Garland members to a two-thirds vote, exercise was too long and Dingledine said. people that attended became There are nine voting restless and constantly moved Prof calls tenure denial unfair members on the council; around. 9 therefore six votes rather than To make the ceremony Says not rehired because of 'troublemaker reputation five will be needed for the conviction of an Honor Code shorter, she said, the com- By KENT BOOTY his "different" methods of teaching and mittee had to decide between violator. An elementary education professor who was student evaluation. "The purpose of this is having an invited speaker or denied tenure has claimed that the ad- One major reason his contract was not having students individually simply to give greater ministration's decision not to rehire him was renewed was that the administration "thought eotection to the student" receive their diplomas from arrived at "arbitrarily" and was influenced by I was a trouble-maker," Bender claimed. "I President Carrier. Feedback ingledine said. "I would his "reputation as a trouble-maker." think it was felt that I was simply asking too rather let a guilty student go from students Indicated that many questions." the majority preferred to Dr. Jon Scott Bender, a 37-year old assistant than risk convicting an in- professor, has also claimed that the ad- An example of this is the meetings he at- nocent one." receive their diplomas from tended of the Curriculum and Instruction the president personally. ministration "definitely" violated his First Although this and other Amendment right to freedom of speech. Committee of the School of Education in policy changes will not be The committee first December 1974, he said. An alternate member recommended that lmplementeduntiA September, "I had a particular style and manner of of the committee, Bender raised questions according to Dingledine, the graduation be held on the operating which the administration just didn't about the "decision-making procedures" of the astro-turf. Degrees would new ruling "should influence" like," Bender said. "It's a freedom of speech committee when it was proposed that a this year's proceedings by the have been conferred by issue." military science course be placed within the departments and everyone council. He added, however, Dr. Thomas Stanton, vice president of School of Education. that it probably "won't result would have been graduated en academic affairs, has denied that the ad- "I was just raising questions for masse. The recommendation in fewer convictions." ministration handled the tenure case unfairly clarification about how the decisions at tins The board also changed the was made to shorten the in any way. institution are made," he said "I felt like the ceremony, to keep everyone grounds for a conviction from "Westrive for fairness and objectivity in all decision had already been made." seated and restore some The proposal for the new course was a "preponderance of. dignity to the exercise, ac- cases,!'Stanton said. "We were more than fair evidence" to a "proof of guilt in handling Dr. Bender's case." initially tabled, but later approved, Bender cording to Reubush. said. Because the administration thought he beyond a reasonable doubt," However, this recom- A professor at James Madison University was "causing trouble" at the meetings, the Dingledine saaid. Once again, mendation was overturned for seven years, Bender was officially In- professor claimed, he started receiving he said, tins is to insure mat because of the expressed formed last May that he had been denied negative vibrations." Then they started only guilty students are concern of the students. Ac- tenure. His contract expires at the end of the looking at his student evaluations and "being convicted. cording to a senior semester. - ... - picky/' he said. Another change adopted by representative of the Com- According to Bender, the administration- Before the committee met, "things looked the beard is the elimination of mencement Committee, was dissatisfied with him because of questions, pretty good and I had been getting positive the distiniction between Brenda Carr, a lot of students of policy be occasionally raised, a potentially feedback," according to Bender. "I had even "major" violations and all (Continued on Page 20) controversial debate he attempted to stage and (Continued on Page «) (Continued on Page M) '/ was able to prove my innocence . • Acquitted student describes honor hearing, says system works By LYNDA EDWARDS According to the Student Hand- before, with my suite mates," the student said he would plead not "I'm probably not the only in- book, a student has the right to student said. ''I had a fairly new guilty. The coordinator gave him nocent student who was mistakenly "presumption of innocence until notebook with lots of paper in it. I the witnesses' names. accused of violating the Honor guilt is proven" took that to the exam. The only "I think only one of them was a Code," a recently acquitted student "You have to be able to prove thing written in the book was some key witness," the student said. "He said. "I think the Honor System you're innocent," the student ad- basketball statistics for my dorm. I was doing his duty under the Honor works because I was able to prove vocate assigned to the case said. took that, not my class notebook." System. I could understand that. my innocence. But a lot of times In "There were two or three, cases last "During the exam, I opened the The other guy's testimony wasn't all just didn't know what would happen. year we think we should have won. book and tore out some paper," he that clear or definite." I knew I was innocent but I wasn't The Honor Council is much stricter continued. "I handed in my exam During the Christmas break, the sure what the Honor Council would when a teacher brings the charges." and thought nothing more about it student told his parents about the say." "Last year, a girl was pleading The next day I got a letter telling me charge. "They believed in me and If a person is innocent but is not guilty to a charge a teacher I'd been accused of cheating. I had supported me all the way. Later accused of an honor violation, the brought, the advocate said. "She no idea what it was about. It took a thev — cameJo the hearing which! student offered advice from his own finally gave up because she felt while before the shock wore off." made me feel better" experience. "Go to the Student she'd never win. The council tends The student went to see the On Jan. 16, the student received a. Advocate for help, tell your parents to be more lenient when it's a University Honor Council Coor- letter telling him the bearing was set because it helps you if they're student bringing charges against dinator who explained that two for Jan. 24. Hraakwt far and was supportive, just be calm, tell another student. students thought they saw the assigned a student advocate.«i met everything you know, but keep a This case started with an exam student look in his notebook for every pay for a week with her. I firm stand and don't give up." on Dec. 13 "I studied a lot the night answers during the exam. The (Continued on Page •) Page 2, THE BREEZE, Tuesday, February 14, 1978 Founded 1922 "Freedom of the press is one of the great bulwarks of liberty, and can never be restrained but by despotick governirtents." — James Madison ERA deserves A VIOLATED PLAYBOY MAGAZINE Is shown above. See story below. official action Photo by Dave Garland The process for amending the Constitution of the United States 'Playboy 'violated in P.O. reflects the federal nature of the government on which the union is based. "Added thrills to some employees9 Java break9 The central government proposes constitutional amendments and the people, acting through their representatives in the By PIERCE ASKEGREN hapless student's box. groupings of the individual states, respond by either ratifying or This Saturday, a delightful sight greeted my Complaining through the window does little rejecting the measure. weary eyes as I checked my mailbox Peering good; the one tune I tried it, the response was a This method provides the neeeasarv checks and balances_ to through the tiny window, I beheld a fat snotty laugh and a famous gesture.