Officials drop JIO finalists, renew search

After spending nearly a year looking for a new Judicial Inquiry Officer, University officials decided last week not to hire any of the three finalists selected for the job. Larry Moneta, associate vice provost for student life, said none of three candidates, who were chosen from a pool of about 250 applicants, had the right combination of qualities and experience. "At worst, you'd say they were adequate," Moneta said. "They probably could have done the job." But he said none "really generated the kind of excitement we were hoping for." Moneta said the search will be reopened, and will be regional this time instead of local. He said the committee may look for a JIO on other large campuses to find someone who could more easily adapt the University, and that applicants could come from all over the country. The last permanent JIO, Constance Goodman, stepped down last summer to become associate secretary. Jane Combrinck-Graham, associate director of risk management, was named interim JIO last fall. She recently returned to risk management. Moneta said he hoped to name a new interim JIO by next month to oversee the office, which investigates and prosecutes a variety of cases, ranging from cheating by students to complaints about fraternities and sororities. Goodman, who took part in the interviewing process of the three finalists, said she supports reopening the search, adding that it is "absolutely critical" that the University find the "right person" for the job. "The JIO is the person who speaks to the standards of behavior at the University," she said. She said she would consider becoming interim JIO, if asked, "in order to help the University." But while acknowledging a continuing interest in the judicial process, she said she has not thought about whether she would like another stint as permanent JIO. Goodman said the next JIO should have an appreciation of various aspects of the University's "culture," including its size, the intelligence of the students, the quality of the education and the level of the faculty. Beyond that, she listed a number of personal qualities she considers important: "good judgement, strong interpersonal skills, ability to be perceptive, good counseling skills, sensitivity, a sense of fairness, faith in another's ability to change behaviors, and a real love of working with students." The three finalists, winnowed down from a list of ten, were better qualified as a group, according to Moneta. He said he believed the "hybrid" of the three would have produced the "ideal" JIO, but that individually none would work. One finalist has worked in a "judicial setting" on another campus, Moneta said. But he said that candidate only had experience with "typical kinds of violations" and had not handled "controversial cases" or those involving groups. A second finalist was strong on experience, Moneta said, but had only worked at a small college. He said he was concerned that the candidate had not spent enough time on a large campus, such as the University's. A third finalist had none of the experience of the other two, Moneta said. But he said the combination of a counseling degree and a law degree made the candidate appealing, though still not satisfactory. Moneta said that for now, he will be working with Assistant JIO Robin Read to incorporate new revisions into the University's judicial code. Since most students are not on campus, the JIO office has had a lighter workload this summer, he added. Moneta could not say when a permanent JIO might finally be found. But he said the interim JIO will stay in office through the end of the upcoming school year until a transition process has familiarized the new JIO with the job. Despite last week's outcome, Moneta praised the work of the search committee for doing "an absolutely stellar job." But he said many of the applicants were lawyers who had no experience in higher education and were never really considered for the job. Assistant Vice Provost Barbara Cassel, who chaired the search committee, was on vacation and could not be reached.

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