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From: kadie@eff.org (Carl M. Kadie)
Newsgroups: alt.comp.acad-freedom.talk,comp.admin.policy
Subject: Punisher
Message-ID: <1991Jun14.192722.339@eff.org>
Date: 14 Jun 91 19:27:22 GMT
Organization: The Electronic Frontier Foundation
Lines: 32

Resolved: The punishment that a computer administrator can impose on a
student should be not exceed that which an instructor can impose.

In 1904, the student regulations at the University of Illinois allowed
an instructor to punish a rule infraction by suspending a student from
class for up to three days. Such suspensions had to be reported to the
President immediately.

Today, an instructor can lower a grade or give the student a written
warning with a copy going to the student's file. An instructor cannot
suspend or expel a student (but can, of course, recommend such
action).

This policy is wise; it is a check against overly harsh punishment. (A
suspension from the classroom, computer, or campus is serious because
it may prevent a student from completing a required homework or
test.)

Today (not at U of Illinois that I've heard of, but at other places),
computer administrators expel students from the computers. The
expulsion are often indefinite. There is often no report made
to anyone outside the computer organization. The student
is given no explanation of his or her rights (apparently because
computer administrator believes that the student has no rights.)

Computer administrators should work under the same constraints
as instructors. They should not be allowed to punish a student
with suspension or expulsion for the computer system.

- Carl
-- 
Carl Kadie -- kadie@eff.org or kadie@cs.uiuc.edu -- But I speak for myself.