The “Meet a Student Judicial Affairs Officer” series begins this week! It will feature a different Student Judicial Affairs Officer each week.
As the director of SJA, Donald Dudley has a jam-packed schedule, but graciously took the time to be interviewed and featured in this week’s “Meet a Student Judicial Affairs Officer.”
Mr. Dudley is from Buffalo, N.Y. Years ago, he came to UC Davis to pursue a master’s degree with the math department. Not only does he have a Master’s in math, he also holds a law degree from King Hall. Before he became a SJA officer, he was a math instructor, the president of the Graduate Student Association and a DJ at KDVS. He has been here at Davis for over 20 years! Mr. Dudley’s favorite spot on campus is his office and he enjoys eating at Hunan Bar & Restaurant on D Street.
As the director, Mr. Dudley’s typical duties consist of managing the staff, working closely with administrators, handling highly sensitive cases and assuming overall responsibility for the department. Mr. Dudley wants to ensure that SJA is providing the best service possible. There are a variety of issues that SJA addresses that touch on fundamental questions of an individual’s rights and rule of law in society. He finds that working with these issues is his favorite part about being a SJA officer. When asked what the most complicated case he has ever dealt with was, he said the most difficult cases are the ones that involve sexual assault.
According to Mr. Dudley, the most common reasons students give for cheating is grade pressure and being unprepared. He finds that the most common rule broken by students who are unaware that they are doing so is that one cannot submit the same work in more than one class without the permission of the instructor. His advice to students who are stressed about school, life, etc. is to not be afraid to ask for help. For students who are reported to SJA, he advises students to be honest if they say anything.
