Joint Committee on Disciplinary Affairs Records, 1967-1973

The Joint Committee on Disciplinary Affairs (JCDA), originally called the Tri-Partite Commission, was created by a resolution of the general faculty on April 28, 1968 as a result of the campus riots and protests of April 1968. The JCDA was responsible for "hearing cases on appeal from any disciplinary tribunal in Columbia University, and for general supervision of the system of tribunals. The Interim Rules, which assigns the JCDA these responsibilities, are binding upon the JCDA in its handling of both." (Box 1 Folder 7 "Enabling Documents") To fulfill this responsibility, the Committee maintained a body of seven elected faculty members, seven elected student members, and three appointed administrators for two-year terms. The Committee held its first meeting on May 1, 1968.

One function of the JCDA was to develop the Interim Rules, which governed the University during the 1968 crisis through 1973 when the Trustees adopted the Rules of University Conduct. After many revisions, the Interim Rules were adopted by the faculty on September 12, 1968. There were additional supplements to the Rules over the next few years. The JCDA was also responsible for the creation of a Tribunal Manual guiding the JCDA and college tribunals. The Committee distributed both the Interim Rules and the Tribunal Manual to select faculty and administrators for revisions and proposals for change.

In order to carry out the guidelines of the Interim Rules and Tribunal Manual, the JCDA established individual college disciplinary tribunals responsible for prosecuting individuals who violated any portion of the Interim Rules. In addition to Columbia College, there were individual college tribunals for Barnard College, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Graduate Faculties and others. The JCDA oversaw these college tribunals and administered appeal requests and hearings resulting from the tribunals. The Committee charged each dean of a school or faculty body with determining the identity of their students involved in the demonstrations "and, following discussions with those students, should impose the discipline recommended." (Box 6, Folder 20 "Columbia College-General") If a student failed to meet with his/her dean, they were suspended. If a student disagreed with the disciplinary action, he/she could appeal to the JCDA.

On June 4, 1973, the Trustees approved the Rules of University Conduct, which superseded the Interim Rules and its supplements. In the same meeting, the Trustees ruled that the JCDA and the disciplinary tribunals were terminated and replaced by similar bodies.