At Lowell (Ind.) High School doling out penalties falls on the shoulders of the school's principal and athletic director. But this year, the school created a special group charged with reviewing those decisions when requested.

"It seems like there are constantly questions about the application of rules," says Don Bales, Athletic Director at Lowell. "Are they consistent? Are they appropriate? Are they used with discretion? We feel a large group of people working together to review disciplinary decisions gives more credibility to the application of our rules."

Lowell's council consists of all the school's head coaches, several non-coaching faculty members, and the head athletic trainer, as well as Bales and Principal James Koger. The idea is that a diverse council with different points of view--from coaches and non-coaches alike--will help determine the fairest decisions.

Student-athletes appear before the council on a voluntary basis. After Bales and Koger decide the punishment, an athlete can choose to bring his or her case before the athletic council for a possible reduction in sentencing. At the council meeting, the athlete recounts his or her side of the story, can bring a parent to speak on his or her behalf, and is expected to answer any questions council members may have.

"The council then meets behind closed doors for discussion and has three choices," Bales explains. "It can uphold the discipline that has been applied, reduce the discipline, or dismiss the penalty completely. If the penalty is reduced or dismissed, it is usually part of the agreement that the athlete will attend some sort of counseling."

Before forming the council, Bales consulted with Marty Daniel, Athletic Director at nearby Blackford High School in Hartford City, Ind., where a similar group has been in place for nine years. "We have had great success with the idea," Daniel says. "Working with other staff members paints a bigger picture and someone may lend insight or look at a situation in a way I hadn't thought of."

Blackford's council, which includes the entire varsity coaching staff, one non-coaching teacher, the principal, the assistant principal, and Daniel, works a little differently than Lowell's. The athletic department's conduct code spells out the minimum punishments for code violations, of which there are three levels: For a first violation, student-athletes automatically lose 25 percent of their season. A second offense results in sitting out half of the season. And a third violation means no sports for a full year.

Once a violation has occurred, the student-athlete is automatically assigned the minimum punishment, then the council meets with the student-athlete and his or her parents to discuss the situation. The council has the option to increase the suspension based on the athlete's testimony at the meeting, but cannot assess a penalty below the minimums spelled out in the code of conduct. "The council works in unison to come to the right decision," Daniel says.

Daniel also says council members embrace their role as educators and focus on making the process a learning experience. "Council members ask the athletes questions like, 'What have you learned from this situation? What are you going to do to change this behavior?'" he says.

"And once we've excused the athlete and parents from the room so we can discuss the situation, everyone has the chance to say what's on their mind, which helps a lot," Daniel continues. "I've found the process leads to a great display of teamwork."

At Lowell, Bales hopes the new system will lead to stronger partnerships with parents and the community. "I think more high school athletic departments are headed toward forming athletic councils," he says. "We're all trying to get the public to trust us and our decision making, and this is one way we can gain their confidence."

For a look at a feature story published in Athletic Management on legal issues with conduct codes, visit: www.AthleticManagement.com and type "Unlocking the Code" (with quotation marks) into the article search window.