The All-University Judiciary has named Doug Houghton, coordinator for Iowa State’s parking system and former assistant dean of students, as AUJ adviser for the yet unscheduled appeal hearings for eight student members of The September 29th Movement.

Dean of Students Kathleen MacKay said Houghton will replace Grace Weigel, programs coordinator for the Office of Judicial Affairs. Weigel is a nonvoting member of the Judiciary who acts as case adviser to AUJ members.

Weigel served as the sole official for the Office of Judicial Affairs during administrative hearings on Jan. 30. She handed down sanctions of conduct probation for five Movement members and written reprimands for three others. Conduct probation bars students from holding leadership positions in registered organizations.

Houghton will provide AUJ members with case information and advise them of the university rules as stated in the Student Information Handbook. The hearings are preliminary proceedings to determine if the AUJ will hear the appeals.

MacKay said Houghton was named adviser because the eight Movement members are appealing the methods Weigel used to make decisions.

Milton McGriff, a graduate student in English and spokesman for The Movement, received conduct probation from Weigel. He could lose his position as a Government of the Student Body senator if his appeal fails.

“I saw [Houghton] as someone helping this process move along,” he said.

McGriff said he spoke with Houghton, who told him he was going to be adviser to avoid any conflicts of interest.

MacKay is the complainant who brought charges against the eight students. In addition, she provided written testimony for their Jan. 30 administrative hearings. Because MacKay is Weigel’s supervisor, there was a conflict of interest, McGriff said.

But he doesn’t see Houghton as “replacing” Weigel.

“You can’t go back and undo that conflict of interest,” McGriff said. McGriff said Movement members may use the conflict of interest argument in their appeals.

Allan Nosworthy, a graduate student in English and chairman for The Movement, is also waiting for an appeal to his conduct probation sanction. “At this point, who knows who is going to be the ringmaster in this circus,” he said.

McGriff said Houghton sent a letter to the eight students who are requesting appeals, on Wednesday. The letter informed them they had a right to move their appeals to another date.

Nosworthy said Wednesday was a poor time because several members of The Movement are involved with the Big Eight Conference on Black Student Government events taking place Feb. 20-22.

McGriff said the hearing will likely take place toward the beginning of next week.