to meet tonight at Parkes Hall

An open meeting to discuss changes to the University Sexual Assault Hearing and Appeals System is scheduled for 6 p.m. today in Parkes Hall 223-224.

Members of the review committee, which held its first meeting last week, will accept written suggestions for reform from students, faculty and staff members.

Although committee members do not plan to discuss the merits of each suggestion, they will attempt to clarify any proposals they don’t understand.

The SAHAS review committee was formed earlier this quarter to reform what many students have called an inadequate system. Much of the campus was outraged after the SAHAS board suspended a male student for one year after he was unanimously found guilty in connection with the sexual assault of a female student. The student was allowed to remain in his dorm during his appeals and the survivor encountered him while he was on campus.

Vice President for Student Affairs Peggy Barr created the review committee with a broad mandate to discuss any pertinent issues.

But she also directed members to discuss specific issues, including the composition of the SAHAS board, training for its members, publicity and its policies and procedures.

Among the items the committee will review are hearing procedures, the definition of sexual assault, mediation and sanctions.

The review committee’s final meeting for the quarter is scheduled for June 1, but that meeting will not be open to the public.