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By Megan Rutherford
Arizona Daily Wildcat
October 30, 1996
Do you know the code?The Code of Conduct governs the way students live their lives on campus, but most people don't know what it says, and it shows, with a case load of about 500 conduct violations each year.
Veda Hunn, assistant dean of students for judicial affairs, said, "Very few students have read (the Code of Conduct)."
When asked what she thought of the Code of Conduct, undeclared freshman Andrea Melillo said, "I think I may have seen it, but I didn't even look through it."
Melissa Noeth, education freshman, said, "I was supposed to (read it) somewhere but I never did."
Both students said they assumed if they used common sense they would not need to worry.
The number one violation of the code is underage alcohol consumption among freshmen males, Hunn said. She said the next highest number of violations are possession of marijuana and theft, but there is a large gap between the two.
"(Freshmen) tend to take more risks and get involved in more risky behavior," she said.
Hunn said she thinks alcohol is the biggest problem because it is easy and accessible.
"It's one of the things you can do with no problem; some think it's expected of them," she said.
Alcohol is only allowed on campus in residence hall rooms if the resident is 21 years of age or older.
The current Code of Conduct, the second one approved by the Arizona Board of Regents in 1990, is also governing students at Northern Arizona University and Arizona State University. The older code was approved in 1983.
The third version of the code, called the Rules of Maintenance and Public Order, is still waiting to be approved by the regents. Hunn said it has been waiting for approval for several years.
When someone allegedly violates the code, they are referred to Hunn by the police or the administration.
She said she, in turn, conducts an investigation of the incident.
Based on the results of the investigation and the severity of the violation, Hunn said the case is either dismissed or the person is given a punishment.
There are several sanctions of punishment ranging from a warning to expulsion, suspension, community service and/or a diversion program.
Students can participate in a diversion program if it is their first misdemeanor offense. Hunn said the fee is $40 and about 254 students participated in a diversion program last year.
Students can appeal the decisions made in code violation cases to the hearing board.
The code was created to establish standards by which the university community is responsible to live by while on campus or at campus functions, Hunn said.
"They're simple, ordinary expectations of what any member of a community wants to be treated," she said.
The Code of Conduct only has jurisdiction on the UA campus, including residence halls or at university events, Hunn said.
The code is in the UA Student Handbook and on the World Wide Web at http://w3.arizona.edu/~studpubs/handbook/policyframe.html
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