Contemporary Practice in Student Judicial Affairs: Strengths and Weaknesses

Source: (2004) In David R. Karp and Thom Allena, eds., Restorative Justice on the College Campus: promoting student growth and responsibility, and reawakening the spirit of campus community. Springfield, Ill. : C.C. Thomas. Pp. 16-26.

In this chapter, John Wesley Lowery and Michael Dannells take a look at contemporary ways of dealing with misconduct in a college setting. The older way of referring to this, according to the authors, was student discipline, whereas the more current and preferred terminology is student judicial affairs. In general, Lowery and Dannells assess the strengths and weaknesses of contemporary student judicial affairs approaches, and the prospects for restorative justice in higher education. More specifically, Lowery and Dannells begin with a brief history of disciplinary/judicial affairs practices on campuses. On the basis of that historical context, they reflect on current philosophy and particular issues with respect to student judicial affairs, current practices, strengths and weaknesses of current philosophy and practice, and possibilities and obstacles with respect to restorative justice in a college setting.