DSG-R-2010-021701
A RESOLUTION OF THE DUKE STUDENT GOVERNMENT Defining Essential and Inalienable Rights for Duke Undergraduates
Policy: The following are considered fundamental rights of Duke undergraduate students and as such should not be violated by students, faculty, administrators or other community members; such violations in any form will be considered a collective attack upon the principles and open society for which Duke stands: Freedom of speech, petition, assembly, expression; Freedom of beliefs and to practice such beliefs; Right to privacy, including protection from unjustified search and seizure and right to be informed of such actions prior to their occurrence; Right to due process including explanation of accusations and the process and a fair and open hearing; Right to fully participate in the Duke community; Right to fair agreements and contracts and to redress grievances if such contracts are altered; Right to representation; Right to be made knowledgeable of policies for which one will be held accountable; Right to be treated as equal, not inferior; The enumeration in this Resolution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny any others retained by students. *applies to all of the above: insofar as it does not harm other individuals, violate the Duke Community Standard or infringe on the rights of others. Rationale: In order to hold our university and ourselves accountable for our actions it is necessary to have a general statement of rights and freedoms agreed upon by the elected representatives of the undergraduate population. Without such a statement, there exists no measurement of justice in the Duke community and students may be subject to any manner of treatment without due recourse. The rights stated above may be used to guide future university
DSG-R-2010-021701 actions as well as address existing institutions and as such, ensure a greater sense of justice for the Duke undergraduate population. Respectfully Submitted, Christine Larson, Senator for Student Affairs Cosponsored, Spencer Eldred, Vice President for Student Affairs Gregory Morrison, Executive Vice President Gurdane Bhutani, Senator for Student Affairs Daren Miller, Senator for Student Affairs Ebonie Simpson, Senator for Student Affairs Molly Superfine, Senator for Student Affairs Passed by the Student Affairs Committee on 15 February 2010 Passed by the Senate and made law on 17 February 2010