Two top administrators have responded to a Student Assembly report on excessive fines with promises to inquire about the nature of the fines and to change the system.
"Something needs to be done about the fines," Acting Vice President and Treasurer Win Johnson said.
Though a formal discussion of the report has not taken place, Johnson and Acting Dean of the College Dan Nelson are planning to meet next week to begin discussing possible changes in policy.
According to Nelson, the administration will begin looking at these fines from an "institutional perspective," rather than examining individual departments' guidelines for student fines.
"What we need to do now is deal with the policy [of fines]," Nelson said. "Within the administration, we need a common understanding of what needs to be done, and then we will move from there."
Johnson pointed out that the issue of excessive fines is not an problem that can be settled "in a few weeks."
But he added that, although the administration is in a state of transition, himself, Nelson and other administrators plan to tackle the issue sooner rather than later.
"I don't think that anyone in an interim position is keeping their seat warm," Johnson said. "I'm absolutely confident that we can make decisions now."
The Assembly report -- which cited fines for parking, Physical Education requirements and late book returns as the most critical problems areas -- was issued at Johnson and Nelson's request.
It stated that the current situation is a "persistent headache which detract[s] from [students'] quality of life and overall satisfaction with the College."
The College currently lists 19 different types of student fines, ranging from throwing snowballs to declaring a major after the deadline.
Nelson said he was pleased with the Assembly's decision to submit the report.
"I'm always happy to know in an organized way about what an individual or group of individuals think about campus issues," Nelson said.
"The feeling I get is that they understand that things need to change," Dave Parker '00, who co-authored the report with Teresa Knoedler '00, said.
Parker also noted that the report -- which included over 70 BlitzMail messages from students regarding personal experiences and viewpoints on fines -- was worded strongly, and that it was in turn "indicative of how strongly the students feel about it."
No meeting between the Assembly and the administration has been planned, Parker said, but the issue of fines is discussed regularly at Assembly meetings and at weekly meetings between Assembly President Josh Green '00 and administrators.
"The issue of student fines will continue to be one of the Assembly's top priorities," Parker said. "This is one of the major issues we're going to focus on for Fall term."
Green said the administration's reaction so far has been "really encouraging."
"The report really made a difference," he said. "Both [Nelson] and [Johnson] made it clear that something will be happening."
Green said he hopes the progress being made on the fines signifies closer interaction between the Assembly and the administration.
"I hope that these changes will be lasting," Green said. "It is my intention to keep that up."
