The General Assembly passed a bill last week advocating for a revision of the policy and clarification of how cases are handled through the Anti-Discrimination Judicial Board, or ADJB.

Chris McClain, College of Social Science representative, sits on the ADJB as an ASMSU representative but said no student cases have been heard in several years because it only can make recommendations to administrators about how to address cases.

“It’s so far back in the chain of command that it’s very rarely utilized,” he said.

“It exists, but it has no teeth.”

The ADJB has authority over complaints defined in the anti-discrimination policy, such as discrimination or harassment, but it has no power to impose disciplinary charges against any individuals. The ADJB can recommend action to an administrator involved in the case but holds no jurisdiction over the consequences of the discriminatory act.

Assistant professor of teacher education Dorinda Carter Andrews has served on the ADJB since 2008. Although she was unsure if a faculty case has made its way to the board
during her tenure, she said she never has heard a student case, and sometimes the board has not met for more than a year at a time.

“If we’re not hearing cases, there isn’t really work for us to be doing,” she said.

ASMSU’s bill advocates for the anti-discrimination policy to be amended to allow the ADJB more authority in dealing with discriminatory cases and determine a clear definition of what discrimination is.

ASMSU Provost Zach Taylor said the ADJB procedures, which have existed since 1993, are inadequate in investigating and responding to acts of discrimination.

In the event that a discriminatory act starts in a residence hall, it sometimes will be addressed through resident mentors or hall directors, McClain said.

Some students take reports of discrimination to other administrators, but documentation of the incidents might be inadequate, and no follow-up might take place, Taylor said.

Acts of discrimination similar to those from last semester would merit a hearing by the ADJB, but nothing was brought before the board, Carter said.

“Students chose to exercise (grievances) in other ways,” she said.