San Diego State’s Associated Students appointed one chief justice and six justices to its new Judicial Affairs Council (ASJAC), which was formed as part of the governmental restructure implemented this summer. Criminal justice senior Sean Guardian, who also ran for A.S. president during the spring semester, was appointed chief justice.
ASJAC will be replacing the Rules Committee of the previous structure, but it will be much more than its predecessor, Guardian said.
“The whole goal for this year is to create something more tangible and extensive to make sure people are using the position,” Guardian said.
Guardian said the Rules Committee would essentially review the three requirements A.S. council members are responsible for, which include an hour of tabling for A.S., attending college council meetings and one cultural event on campus.
According to the A.S. website, the Rules Committee also reviewed complaints brought against any council or board member in relation to ethics, conduct or bylaws.
But, ASJAC plans to expand its responsibilities to the campus community. One of Guardian’s ideas is to become involved in the process dealing with students who get in trouble with the university, Guardian said.
Guardian said he plans to have his council take the judicial officer training provided by SDSU.
“We could prep students how to come correct to a judicial meeting and be able to address who they are speaking to,” Guardian said. “We can tell them how the judicial process is supposed to go and what they will be asked.”
The ASJAC was appointed by six outgoing A.S. council members, five outgoing AS executive officers and five incoming A.S. executive officers, Guardian said. He also said candidate’s requirements were to satisfy a minimum GPA of 2.0 and have no outstanding judicial issues with the university.
The ASJAC is also comprised of an Awards Committee and Elections Committee.
Guardian said ASJAC will also hold council members accountable for reaching out to students and promoting the services students can attain from A.S.
“As chief justice, what we are hoping to do, is ensure college council and campus life representatives, who represent different facets of San Diego State, are to their fullest potential reaching out to the students on campus,” Guardian said. “If we notice someone is not doing that, or slipping on their duties, we would have a mediation.”
Guardian, who was part of the previous Rules Committee, said ASJAC will take advantage of its current “unspecified powers” to expand its obligations with students. Holding council members accountable for outreach is one way ASJAC will do this.
“Everyone was elected for a reason,” Guardian said. “People supported them in their decision to take on that role, and it is now their responsibility to fulfill the duties of that role, so we are here to make sure that happens.”
