I see the new judicial code prohibits students from retaining legal representation, while “the university can choose a representative to speak for his or her interests.” What un-American poppycock. Allowing the university to decide who can and cannot speak for students is, quite simply, an attempt to side-step Constitutional guarantees of adequate representation, and it should not be tolerated. I cannot help but think that this attempt to create a university-mandated muzzle for students must be in response to The September 29th Movement’s insistence on legal representation during our judicial hearings in 1997. When the administration attempted to function as judge, jury and executioner, our attorneys were able to raise an adequate defense. Now, the administration has decided it will provide the defense, too! I wonder how adequate that will be? While current students may be unaware of the history, obviously the administration has moved to “plug” the holes in their own student code which allowed us to exercise our constitutional rights freely. More’s the pity for current students. Let’s hope the ACLU@ISU is able to stop – or at least slow down – the administration juggernaut. Kel Munger

Essex Junction, VT