New faculty disciplinary plan offered

A task force of University admini - strators and senior faculty mem - bers has proposed a substantial re - vision to the existing faculty dicip - linary procedures. In the future, the Univerity's & president and Faculty Senate & Chairpersons will have greater & power and responsibility in hand - ling faculty disciplinary actions, if the changes are accepted by the Board of Trustees. The revisions, which will be dis - cussed tonight at a faculty meeting, follow criticism of the handling of Associate Veterinary Professor & Robert Whitlock's plagiarism case. Critics complained, among other & things, that no consistent proce - dure was followed. The biggest procedural change would replace the current, separate judicial boards with one intra- departmental University tribunal. There would also be a provision for separating accusations into two classes, "major infractions" and & "minor infractions." According to the proposal, "major infractions" would be dealt with in a fairly complex manner, including a hearing before a faculty panel. "Mi - nor infractions," however, would be dealt with internally. In a statement, Faculty Senate Chairperson David Hildebrand said the "most controversial of the task force's proposals" is one giving the president a more important role in the disciplinary process. "There is a danger that the presi - dent after next might cave in to the hysteria of the moment, in a highly publicized case," he said. To check this, the draft suggests that if the president and the Faculty Senate-appointed tribunal dis - agree, he must get the consent of all three Faculty Chairpersons in or - der to proceed in the way that he chooses. Hildebrand said on Monday that he hopes the new procedures will be ratified before the end of the spring term.