Peer Review Board Underway

SGA wants rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors to apply for a position on the re-instituted Peer Review Board scheduled to officially move into action next fall. Five students from each class will hear disciplinary cases and decide on an outcome.

The 15-member board will divide into groups of three that rotate each week to hear cases. The Board was broken into groups of three due to the odd number which enables a majority vote to always take place. Having groups of three also makes participating on the Board a reasonable time commitment. Rather than meeting once a week, board members will meet once every five weeks.

EMU is following the model of other schools. "I haven't come across a school that doesn't have a structure like this," said Kevin Docherty, co-president of SGA. Ellen Miller, director of Housing and Residence Life, hopes that this new change will get students more involved in the community.

Residence Life, Student Life, and SGA have determined that the Peer Review Board will handle matters of alcohol and drug usage, theft, damages/destruction, open hours violations, hazing, violence, dishonesty, non-compliance, and unauthorized use of EMU property. Residence Life will still handle issues that involve interpersonal conflicts, firearms/weapons, pets, roommate conflicts, mental health, inappropriate internet/phone use, and sexual misconduct.

SGA, Residence Life, and Student Life have included a mediation/restorative justice component to the Peer Review Board. Selected students from the Peer Review Board will be trained in mediation and restorative justice by University Accord. Appropriate cases will be sent through this process as determined by the board and administration, or if they request it.

There will still be an appeal process that can be taken to the vice president of Student Life. All cases will have the right to due process. "This should not be punitive," said Dave Brubaker, assistant professor of Conflict Studies in CTP. "People should walk away feeling responsible for their actions and a part of the community." The mediation/restorative justice component will also encourage natural, educational consequences rather than traditional discipline. The goal is to let the person feel accepted back into the community.

Though the committee has not formally discussed whether students will be able to choose whether they want to be disciplined through the Residence Life staff or the Peer Review Board, they are "leaning toward cut and dried...people probably won't have a choice," said Miller.

Members of the Peer Review Board will have experience going through due process training and a chance to participate in the EMU community. The positions are purely voluntary. Though Miller warns that there will be stress involved, since members of the committee will see the people they discipline around campus, the model has worked well at other schools. With good training, the members are well respected on campus and not considered a police force, said Docherty.

Applications are available in the Student Life suite.