By: SARAH E. WARD
Staff Writer
The Office of Student Conduct at IU South Bend, formerly called the Office of Judicial Affairs, is undergoing a few changes this year.
While the office will still uphold Indiana University’s Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, they are also trying to expand their student programs and services. The Office of Student Conduct is one of eight offices that compose the student services unit. All of these offices report to Karen L. White, associate vice chancellor of Student Services and dean of students.
She is optimistic about the Office of Student Conduct’s future.
“I wanted the office to really move on, not only from just judicating personal or academic misconduct cases, but to have that educational piece in terms of working with students to really teach them the importance of their decisions,” White said. “To teach them more in terms of academic integrity to look towards that developmental component of judicial affairs which we did not have.”
The Office of Student Conduct wants students and faculty to work together to help students make good decisions while navigating their academic and professional careers,
White said.
“Most of the offices now are called student conduct because we are looking at the behavior and looking at how universities can work with the faculty and work with staff to better shape and help students when they do make decisions, but also to really have preventive programs so that they will not find themselves in a position that we are judicating cases, be it for personal or academic misconduct,” White said.
The Office of Student Conduct is in search of a new director to help implement these new services and programs since the former director has retired. The search so far has not been successful, as the position requires an experienced candidate familiar with student conduct and affairs.
The position of director was offered to a potential prospect but that person has declined. The office is looking for a candidate that can engage with students, so they can act as
liaisons for the office and work with the Student Government Association.
White hopes to have the position of director filled by June 1.
“It’s about having programs and services in place for students,” White said. “Its about engagement and assuring that students are connected to the university through clubs and organizations.”
For more information about the Office of Student Services visit https://www.iusb.edu/judicial/.
