The Office of Judicial Affairs at the University of Colorado at Boulder has charged nine CU-Boulder students who were involved in a party attended by football recruits and players last Dec. 7 with violations of the Student Code of Conduct.
The nine students include both women and men and athletes and non-athletes, according to Matthew Lopez Philips, acting director of the Office of Judicial Affairs. The nine cases are being processed.
The Judicial Affairs office enforces the university's Student Code of Conduct, which is separate from the criminal justice system. However, the university uses information from the criminal investigation as well as court proceedings in the process of adjudicating Student Code of Conduct violations.
In early June, Chancellor Richard L. Byyny directed Athletic Director Richard Tharp to make improvements in the athletic department's recruitment procedures and general operations to enhance the department's efforts to promote sportsmanship and foster good character. Those goals are outlined in the Arizona Sports Accord, which the university signed in 2000.
Byyny said he is determined to put measures in place that will prevent incidents such as the Dec. 7 party from occurring in the future.
"I have made it clear that it is essential these improvements be implemented quickly and that the athletic department communicate to its staff and student athletes that these improvements get the highest priority," Byyny said.
He has directed that the improvements be in place by fall 2002.
Byyny underscored the Arizona Accord's statement that it is the duty of sports leadership -- including coaches and athletic administrations -- to promote sportsmanship and foster good character by teaching, enforcing, advocating and modeling six core principles: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and good citizenship.
Specifically, he called for the following:
* A standard of excellence requiring student athletes to conduct themselves, off and on the field, as positive role models who exemplify good character.
* Enforcement of goals and standards of accountability for character-building within the department.
* Changes in recruiting practices that include notification of recruits and their parents about standards of conduct; establishing strict curfews; increasing adult supervision; training upperclassmen students to serve as hosts; and preparing well-structured itineraries for campus visits.
* Establishing close communication between Athletics, Housing and Judicial Affairs so that information about any student athlete who violates the Student Code of Conduct or Housing rules is known to all three units.
* Development of a life skills program for student athletes to address leadership, personal integrity, career development, intellectual growth and other developmental issues.
* Coordination between Athletics and Student Affairs to address drug and alcohol awareness issues.
For more information about the Judicial Affairs process and the Student Code of Conduct, go to the Web site at: .
Information about the Arizona Summit Sports Accord is at: .