GUSA Senate Endorses Raising Evidentiary Standard

The Georgetown University Student Association Senate unanimously passed a resolution that endorsed a recommendation to raise the burden of proof standard in the Student Code of Conduct Sunday night.

Last Thursday, the Georgetown’s Disciplinary Review Committee passed a recommendation to raise the evidentiary standard for disciplinary responsibility from “more likely than not” to “clear and convincing evidence.”

The recommendation will now be considered by Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson

GUSA Senate Speaker Adam Talbot (COL’12), the sponsor of the bill, said it was important for GUSA to support the change.

“As we reflect on the student rights that have been discussed previously this year, we need to take this final step,” Talbot said, “It is necessary for us to endorse this bill to make an actual change.’

The resolution, besides endorsing the recommendation of the DRC, encourages Olson to accept and approve the change of burden proof standard in time for the start of the 2012-2013 academic year.

Talbot encouraged the senators to learn about the recommendation, discuss it with their constituents and email Olson to express the importance to approve the change. GUSA President Clara Gustafson (SFS ’13) posted an idea on the Hoya Roundtables Ideascale in concordance with GUSA’s resolution. In the post, Gustafson urged students to support the DRC recommendation and GUSA’s resolution.

The idea has accumulated almost 235 votes in the past 24 hours.