Opinion: Code of Conduct Needs Update

The Student Code of Conduct has long been a topic of discussion here at Ohio University. Many students have voiced complaints over specific issues and discrepancies of the code. Student Senate had a first reading of a new resolution about the Student Code of Conduct on Monday. The resolution proposes that the Student Code of Conduct be, at minimum, analyzed anew; many hope that there will be real change to the code.There are a few discrepancies with the Student Code of Conduct currently, which have led to unjust decisions made by the university. As the current code stands, if a student is physically assaulted by another person and they fight back, they can (and most likely will) be charged with an A-4: Mental or Bodily Injury or Harm to Another. This sanction is the same sanction that a student who is the aggressor in a fight is charged with, but the code does not take self-defense into account. Why is Ohio University sanctioning students for defending themselves? Self-defense is a natural reaction to a physical attack, and it is absolute ludicrous that we, as an Ohio University community, would stand for that type of sanctioning action.Additionally, the Student Code of Conduct does not provide protection for students whose charges have been dropped legally. If a student’s charges are dropped legally, the student’s sanctions from the university are still valid. This means that a student could have their charges dropped legally, but still be punished through the university’s sanctioning program. When this is paired with the of the Office of Community Standards’ “guilty until proven innocent” attitude toward students, it leads to a system that works against the students.The Student Code of Conduct needs to be carefully scrutinized, and modified to fit the needs of the university and the students. It is understandable that the university needs to have some type of sanctioning process. It is preposterous to believe that the code, in current form, is acceptable and unbiased towards students.