15 IDC Counselors Ready for April Start Date

The Independent Defense Counsel, a group that provides an alternative to the student attorney general's defense counsels, is expected to begin providing services no later than April, said IDC founder William Hashemi.

Hashemi said the organization, which consists of about 15 members, has received official recognition from the University, requested office space in the new Student Union and set up three March training sessions for its counselors.

So far, the interaction between the IDC and the student attorney general has been limited. Former Student Attorney General Taylor Lea said the IDC has not tried to establish any kind of relationship with the student attorney general. Hashemi said he has gone to the attorney general only to request training materials.

Hashemi said IDC will use the same training materials as the student attorney general's office and that Dean of Students Melissa Exum, Associate Dean of Student Affairs Winston Crisp and Committee on Student Conduct Chairman Bob Adler will aid in IDC's training. "I've taken it as my responsibility to make sure we have the support of the necessary administration to get us off the ground and make sure IDC members are competent."

Hashemi decided to form the IDC after speaking to students convicted in the controversial Computer Science 120 cases, in which 24 students were accused of cheating. Many of those convicted were later exonerated by an appellate board. The students' complaints about their defense counsels convinced Hashemi that an independent organization was necessary.

Members of the student attorney general's office currently can both investigate and defend accused students -- a system Hashemi feels compromises the defense counsels' ability to adequately represent their clients.

Programs Coordinator Martin Warf, who, along with Exum, is helping train IDC members, said the group raises some valid issues. "There are some problems with the system," he said.

Warf said his concerns about IDC are logistical, including how they will be integrated into the system, where their funding will come from and how much access they can have under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Lea said she does not oppose the IDC as long as members receive adequate training. Lea said she has spoken to Hashemi about training but hesitates to endorse IDC because she has yet to see exactly what kind of training they will receive.

Hashemi said while IDC's training will be comparable to that of the student attorney general's office, its goals will be different. "We work only for the students. The office of the attorney general is there to represent the best interests of the student body."

Hashemi said interested students are welcome to participate in IDC. "To express an interest in IDC is enough to receive the training," he said. He said an exact post-training screening process is still being formulated and will be in place by the end of March training.

Lea said the student attorney general's office carefully screens all its applicants to "make sure they aren't going in with the wrong motivation." Lea said this process is something that IDC lacks. "They might not be the kind of people who can formulate arguments, make connections and present these connections to the court," Lea said.

Adler also is concerned about how the quality of IDC counsels will be assured. He said he does not think the judicial system should be held responsible if IDC counsels perform poorly. "If someone comes in and chooses not to have a student (counsel) with the judicial system, that's their right," Adler said. "But they should waive their right to claim ineffective counsel."

Lea said the IDC has yet to collaborate with the student attorney general's office, and Hashemi sees the groups' relationship as cooperative at best. "We have a one-way street relationship," he said. "The attorney general's office must share everything they have on our client, and we don't have to and aren't going to. The most we're hoping for is cooperation and getting the case done efficiently."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.