To gain more recognition within the University, the Student Hearing Board is holding a campus-wide recruitment campaign from now until March 23.

A division of the Office of Conduct Standards, the Student Hearing Board is comprised of dorm students who examine cases involving similar students, said Bryan Moody, recruiting chairperson for the board.

"The idea of the board is the chance for (the students) to be in front of their peers," said Jennifer Demby, board president. "We're their classmates, and we have a better respect of residence hall life."

Although the University's disciplinary system has been criticized in recent months for a lack of minority representation on its boards, the Student Hearing Board is not aiming to recruit more racial and ethnic minorities because the board is already diverse, said Steve Signor, a board member.

Rather, they hope to gain the attention of people who otherwise have not heard of the board, he said.

"We're widening; we're taking more avenues than we have before," Kelly Gibson, vice president said. "Even if people don't apply, they become more aware of our role in the University because a lot of people don't realize that we exist until they get in trouble."

She said the Student Hearing Board is not necessarily more lenient than other hearing boards, but it is in a unique position to view the cases.

"It's just that we have a different way of looking at it," Demby (junior-secondary education) said. "We have both sides of looking at it -- the Office of Conduct Standards side and the student section."

Moody said the board usually handles cases that involve alcohol violations, disorderly conduct and destruction of property. More serious cases that might result in suspension are usually brought before the University Hearing Board, which is composed of administrators, faculty, staff, and some Student Hearing Board members on a rotating basis.

Applicants will be given individual and group interviews, Gibson said.

"It's basically doing a group consensus type problem and seeing how people interact in a group -- who becomes a leader, who kind of just sits there passively," Gibson (junior-psychology) said.

The board is looking for "someone who is a leader without being dominant, that can listen and understand without being too passive," Demby said.

Signor said the most important qualification is being able to show non-prejudicial thinking when looking at cases.

With the recruitment campaign, the Student Hearing Board hopes to attract different people to the organization, Demby said.

"We're not looking for larger numbers, we're just looking for different people," she said.

"We take who's qualified, and hopefully people who are qualified members of unrepresented groups would apply," Gibson said. "But we're not going to go and say, 'okay, we need to have this many different ethnic groups'."

Interested students can pick up applications from 7 to 8 p.m. today at an open house in the Simmons Hall Piano Lounge. Applications are also available at the Boucke Information Desk on the first floor. The application deadline is 5 p.m. on March 23.

Moody said the board was gaining momentum and hoped, with more recognition, this trend will continue.