Professor of Government Robert D. Putnam, who served on the last active CRR, spoke at the Faculty meeting and said the CRR's procedures wereadequate with the exception that students refusedto serve. He said he favored approval of theJudicial Board to "enhance its legitimacy."
He also said, "The more fundamental reason isthat students can make important, substantivecontributions to the deliberations."
In interviews in the past two days, studentspraised the University for heeding studentsdemands to reform the CRR.
"It's a concession against 17 years of protestby students," said Dorothee E. Benz '87, a memberof the Southern Africa Solidarity Committee.
Supporters also hailed the Judicial Board as acompromise among students, faculty, andadministrators.
"The Undergraduate Council and nearly all thestudents I have come in contact with in the pastweeks endorse this proposal as a workablecompromise," said Undergraduate Council ChairmanRichard S. Eisert '88, one of two undergraduateson the plan's drafting committee.
He said that although the Judicial Board doesnot encompass all of the desired characteristicsasked for by the student government, it offersseveral improvements over the CRR, includingregular meetings, more input for studentdefendants and delegates, and a wider jurisdictionthan actions resulting from political protest.
But students have criticized the body for notunifying the University's judicial system in whichthe Administrative Boards still retain much oftheir power.
Spence addressed this concern at the meetingand said that a unified judiciary of onedisciplinary body would not be realistic becausethe Administrative Boards deal with a broad rangeof cases.
The dean said it is desirable to have theJudicial Board handle cases involving,"fundamental issues of conflicting values andprinciples."
Jewett said the method of assigning cases toeither the Judicial Board or the appropriate AdBoard is clearly defined and will not result incharges of administrator manipulation, as the CRRoften did.
The College's Ad Board, which handles the bulkof student discipline cases, earlier this yearreformed its procedures, allowing students accusedof serious disciplinary infractions to appear inperson before the board. Jewett, who chairs the AdBoard, said he would be open to future suggestionsfor reform to that body.
Although it took 17 years to replace the CRR,faculty members yesterday left open thepossibility for future change.
"Students do not always want to live with theactions of their predecessors," Professor ofGovernment Roderick Macfarquhar said at themeeting. "Future generations participating in thisbody may have fresh ideas."