Spring Break
Union argues for rights bill
by Lital Shair
News | 11/4/08
Posted online at 2:50 AM EST on 11/4/08
The Student Union is currently involved in discussion with the administration about incorporating the Student Bill of Rights into the University's Rights and Responsibilities Handbook or have it recognized by the University as a separate document, according to Student Union Director of Community Development Ryan McElhaney '10.
"We want the University to recognize these as student rights, not just the Student Union," said Student Union Director of Communications Jamie Ansorge '09.
McElhaney said he has met with Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer and Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Jean Eddy and hopes to meet with the University's Legal Counsel Judith Sizer to make the two documents more compatible.
Sawyer wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that he hopes to see a "current, all-inclusive copy of the Bill of Rights" at a meeting with McElhaney today.
"The issue right now is that the Student Bill of Rights does state certain things that seem to be quite contradictory with Rights and Responsibilities, and the administration, if it's going to accept [the Student Bill of Rights], needs to make sure that it's an enforceable policy that doesn't contradict with previous statements," McElhaney said.
McElhaney said he created a document that compares and contrasts the Student Bill of Rights and Rights and Responsibilities to help in discussions with administrators.
The document states, "We need to clarify what exactly constitutes harassment under current Brandeis Policy and how that relates to the Free Expression clauses in [the Student Bill of Rights]."
Additionally, the document states that Rights and Responsibilities is at times more prohibitive than the Student Bill of Rights regarding how students can express themselves under the law.
The Student Bill of Rights also offers more extensive privacy protection clauses, which McElhaney said he hopes will be incorporated into the legal necessities of Rights and Responsibilities.
"We want the University to recognize these as student rights, not just the Student Union," said Student Union Director of Communications Jamie Ansorge '09.
McElhaney said he has met with Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer and Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Jean Eddy and hopes to meet with the University's Legal Counsel Judith Sizer to make the two documents more compatible.
Sawyer wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that he hopes to see a "current, all-inclusive copy of the Bill of Rights" at a meeting with McElhaney today.
"The issue right now is that the Student Bill of Rights does state certain things that seem to be quite contradictory with Rights and Responsibilities, and the administration, if it's going to accept [the Student Bill of Rights], needs to make sure that it's an enforceable policy that doesn't contradict with previous statements," McElhaney said.
McElhaney said he created a document that compares and contrasts the Student Bill of Rights and Rights and Responsibilities to help in discussions with administrators.
The document states, "We need to clarify what exactly constitutes harassment under current Brandeis Policy and how that relates to the Free Expression clauses in [the Student Bill of Rights]."
Additionally, the document states that Rights and Responsibilities is at times more prohibitive than the Student Bill of Rights regarding how students can express themselves under the law.
The Student Bill of Rights also offers more extensive privacy protection clauses, which McElhaney said he hopes will be incorporated into the legal necessities of Rights and Responsibilities.
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