Prospective Members





Position Description

The Council is a group of individuals from which a hearing board is selected to hear cases of alleged violations of University policy as listed in the student handbook published by James Madison University.

Hearing Boards

The hearing boards make decisions on whether or not a policy was violated and the sanctions that should be imposed.

Each major hearing board consists of three students, three faculty members and one faculty chairperson.Each minor hearing board consists of three students and one faculty chairperson.

Appeal Boards

The council members also hear appeals for cases.

A major appeal board would consist of two students, one faculty/staff member, and one faculty/staff chairperson. A minor appeal board consists of two students and one faculty/staff chairperson.
The University Judicial Council determines sanctions ranging from Disciplinary Probation up to and including Expulsion from the University.

Qualifications

Any undergraduate or graduate student in good standing with the University is eligible to apply. Applicants must uphold all University policies. Other requirements include the ability to work well with others, sensitivity and respect for others, openness to differences, willingness to take part in assessment projects, and the ability to maintain strict confidentiality of all judicial information.

Training

Newly selected council members will receive extensive training on the judicial policies and procedures, improving skills in listening, questioning and decision-making. There will also be an opportunity to practice those skills prior to hearing actual cases through involvement in a mock hearing. Additional training and information sessions are held during the year to continue to develop and improve skills and knowledge to help in effectively serving on a judicial board.

Time Commitment

Members serve on as hearings as their schedules permit. Most hearings take between 1 and 5 hours. Members are also encouraged to attend Council Development workshops that occur throughout the semester.

How to Apply

Applications are available at the Office of Judicial Affairs, Frederikson Hall C101 or simply click on the link below to download the form you need. The file is in MSWord format. If you have any trouble opening it, please email Ms. Wendy Young, young2wm@jmu.edu.

Spring 2009 Council Application

(Available January 20, 2009)