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Task force's work on SIUC demonstration policy continues

After realizing the fall 2004 semester deadline was possibly "overly ambitious," members of the task force are taking the process of reviewing the demonstration policy on a meeting-by-meeting basis.

"We've started making some revisions but we're just not there yet," said task force member Nancy Hunter Pei, who also serves as an assistant to the Office of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. "But we're ready to at least start putting our pens to paper."

The actual process of reviewing the demonstration policy began June 28. At this point, a group of 12 members comprised of both students and faculty met for the first time to discuss possible revisions to the policy. The goal of the group at this point was to review the current policy and to send any recommendations to Chancellor Walter Wendler before the upcoming fall semester.

The group hoped the recommendations would result in changes to the current policy would take effect by fall 2004; something they soon came to realize is not a reasonable goal.

Members such Pei emphasize that the decision to push back their original goal was in no way caused by a lack of effort on the part of the task force. The group has met three times previously to discuss the issue; meetings Pei said have been important steps in the process of making the recommendation.

"We've got people who are genuinely interested [in the demonstration policy] and have good points of view," Pei said. "It appears everybody has done their homework, and that's always helpful so you don't have to start from scratch."

Pei said the group has scheduled its next meeting for Aug. 9, at which time they plan to continue working on "general concepts and themes." According to Larry Dietz, vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, the committee will spend the upcoming meeting reviewing and discussing a draft of the policy. A subcommittee of the task force composed the draft, which they hope to hand out a week prior to the meeting.

As far as installing the policy goes, Pei said the University typically waits until the beginning of the semester to institute new policies.

But if the task force believes it has a good policy, its members would use outlets such as the media as a means of notification.

The process of implementing a new policy would begin with submitting the recommendations to Wendler. From there, they would seek the approval of the Board of Trustees on the policy.

While Wendler said he hopes to have the work of the task force completed in "expedient fashion," he also emphasizes that he does not wish to rush through the process and wants the outcome to be the best policy possible for the University.

"We want the policy to be clear and available to students as soon as possible," Wendler said. "We have a reasonable policy right now. Our goal is to work on it and make it better."