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Show Stodeot BSflfi Of RBghts An official policy statement guaranteeing guar-anteeing freedom of students has been adopted by the University. It is the first such statement to be accepted by the Board of Regents Reg-ents in the University's history according ac-cording to Dr. Jewell J. Rasmus-sen Rasmus-sen chairman of the Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee. I (An abridged text of the policy ! statement is reprinted on page 5 of today's Chronicle. Students may pick up complete texts in the Dean of Students office.) "I view this statement as a very significant stand." Dean Frobes saii "With it we have taken a position of leadership among this state's colleges and universities with relation to academic freedom for the student." The statement defines student rights in the areas of student records, rec-ords, student affairs, off-campus privileges, procedural standards, disciplinary proceedings and classroom class-room conduct. The Board of Regents ratified the statement last summer without amendment upon the recommendation recommen-dation of the faculty's Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee, Dr. Rasmussen said. It is based upon a 1965 revised statement by the American Association of University Uni-versity professors. The Regents also amended the Regents Regulations concerning academic freedom to include students. stu-dents. Previously, only faculty members had been guaranteed this freedom. The document will require alterations alter-ations in some present University procedures, Dean Frobes said. But for the most part it formalizes existing ex-isting policies and procedures. Major points made in the statement state-ment include: "Students should be allowed to invite (to the University) and to hear any person of their choosing." "The student body should have clearly defined means to participate partici-pate in the formulation and application applica-tion of regulations affecting student affairs." The University is "years ahead" in this area according to Dean Frobes. The ASUU Executive Execu-tive Council has, however, recom mended creation of an additional committee to work with the administration admin-istration when policy is being formed form-ed on such issues as tuition increases. in-creases. Housing Discrimination "Institutions should use their influence in-fluence to secure equal access for all students" to facilities in the local community. At present the University requires off - campus housing applicants to sign nondiscrimination non-discrimination guarantees. Despite this requirement, there is some evidence evi-dence of discrimination in off-campus housing, as reported in the Chronicle Oct. 25. "Affiliation with an (off -campus) organization should not of itself affect recognition of a student or ganization." This clause apparently appar-ently guarantees consideration of communist affiliated student organizations. organ-izations. Organization Recognition Recognition of a student organization organ-ization "should not be withheld or withdrawn solely because of the inability in-ability of a student organization to secure an advisor. Student organizations organ-izations should not be required to submit a membership list as a condition con-dition of institutional recognition." These guarantees to student or-ganziations or-ganziations conflict with present University policy which requires an advisor and membership lists. Recommendations will be made by the Student Affairs Committee, to the Academic Freedom and Tenure (Continued on Page 5) - p - Student Rights Affirmed "Disciplinary proceedings should be instituted only for violation of standards of conduct defined in advance ad-vance and published through such means as a student handbook of a generally available body of university univer-sity regulations." A handbook of formal offenses and sanctions is being prepared according to Asso- (Continued from Page 1) Committee and the Board of Regents Reg-ents to resolve the conflict, Dean Frobes said. Records Disclosure "To minimize the risk of improper improp-er disclosure, academic and disciplinary dis-ciplinary records should be separate, sep-arate, and the conditions of access to each should be set forth in an explicit policy statement. No records rec-ords should be kept which reflect the political activities or beliefs of students. Provision should be made for periodic routine destruction of noncurrent disciplinary records." At present disciplinary records are kept separate and under limited limi-ted access in the Dean of Students office. Records are destroyed after five years. Teacher's Evaluation In the classroom, "students should be evaluated solely on the basis of their academic performance, perform-ance, not on their opinions or conduct con-duct in matters unrelated to academic aca-demic standards." According to Dean Frobes, the University has no code regulating this phase of student evaluation at present. ciate Dean of Students Lowell Ben-nion Ben-nion and will be published next quarter. "Students should endeavor to exercise their freedom with maturity matur-ity and responsibility." |