The Judicial Board's (J-Board) search to fill five open positions concluded recently, as the J-Board released its final selections for the 2011-2012 J-Board to the College on Wednesday. The five successful applicants were notified of their acceptance on February 23.
The J-Board received 43 applications, down only two from last year. After an intensive two-week selection process, five new members will join the J-Board next fall: Allen Garner '12, Tyler Silver '13, Viraj Gandhi '14, Chelsea Shaffer '14 and William Tucker '14.
The selection process began with a written application, which included a faculty, staff or peer student recommendation. Each applicant was then interviewed in front of half of the current J-Board and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Laura Lee, who is the faculty adviser to the J-Board. According to Lee, the J-Board uses the individual interview as the primary way to get to know each applicant.
Based on the individual interviews, 24 students advanced to the group interview. In this step, applicants reviewed hypothetical case scenarios in groups of four under the observation of current J-Board members.
The J-Board then convened for deliberation, with each member selecting their top five candidates. In previous years, the J-Board would meet and select the new members in one day. In order to relieve stress and frustration this year, the J-Board instead extended this process over two days.
When selecting new members, Lee said that the J-Board "looks for really thoughtful, mature individuals. A certain amount of personality also comes into play. These qualities we look for in all candidates."
"It is really important to us that the Board reflects the diversity of our student body," she added.
According to Lee, one or two applicants usually rise to the top immediately, where most—if not all—of the J-Board members list them in their top five. To choose the other candidates, the J-Board uses voting to clarify a situation or help direct the conversation. Ideally, the J-Board reaches a consensus on who to select in the end.
"Over the last couple of years, most of the applicants have been first-years, but this is a change from when I first came on as the adviser," said Lee. "At that point, first years were probably the smallest class group to apply. I don't know why that changed. I would certainly encourage upperclassmen to apply."
Lee explained said she fears that the J-Board is missing out on applications from upperclassmen.
Of the five new J-Board members selected for next year, two are upperclassmen: Garner, a rising senior, and Silver, who will be a junior next year.
"I guess I'm atypical in that I didn't apply 'til I was a junior, but I've actually always wanted to since I've been here," said Garner. "Just due to other things going on, it had never come together, but this year I realized this was my last chance and didn't want to look back and say I wish I had done that."
Now that the J-Board has selected its new members, Lee plans to meet with each one of the five individually to explain the expectations of the J-Board. There are also plans for a dinner in April to formally introduce all members of the 2011-2012 J-Board. Finally, after observing a hearing this semester and completing training during Senior Week in May, the five selected applicants will become official members of the J-Board.
Gandhi explained his decision to apply for the J-Board after witnessing the importance of Bowdoin's academic and social honor code in keeping the campus together.
"It creates a community where we all see each other and we all participate in class and academics," he said. "That's what brings us all together here; when someone violates that or interferes with that, I think it disrupts what Bowdoin is as a community."