News Bites Week of March 31

Claremont McKenna revises conduct investigation policies

Claremont McKenna College has updated its conduct process and academic dishonesty procedure to comply with recent California court decisions, according to an email Dean of Students Diana Graves sent to students Monday.

The new conduct process will include a live hearing with students accused of misconduct and their accusers in any case where potential punishments could include suspension or expulsion. The accused and accuser will have the chance to cross-examine each other.

The new academic dishonesty procedure will also now include a hearing committee to make findings, at which the student accused of misconduct will have the opportunity to appear.

The changes to these policies follow similar changes to CMC’s Title IX policy in recent weeks, which also introduced live hearings with the accuser and accused.

— Marc Rod

 

ASCMC launches mental health committee

ASCMC is creating a committee for health and wellness, according to a email sent Monday from ASCMC’s mental health advisor Lisa Hao CM ’20 to Claremont McKenna College students.

The committee was formed by the ASCMC executive board and will be led by Hao and Edgar Warnholtz CM ’19. The committee aims to “assess the resources we currently have, the limitations our campus faces and the ways we can improve,” according to the email.

The committee was formed in response to concerns that mental health support is inadequate, a sentiment expressed at the ASCMC executive board meeting March 31. The committee aims to deliver a draft of a plan of action on mental health before the end of the school year.

— Marc Rod