University Judiciary honors Jenny Penney Oliver

The University of Georgia Judiciary has renamed its annual celebration the Jenny Penney Oliver University Judiciary Recognition and Induction Ceremony in honor of former adviser, Jenny Penney Oliver.

On April 5, the organization's current and provisional members and their families gathered at the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries to celebrate the past year's achievements and to swear in the newest group of student advocates, advisors and justices.

William M. Ray, II, judge on the Court of Appeals of Georgia, UGA alumnus and former member of the University Judiciary, served as the alumni speaker at the ceremony.

Oliver served in UGA's office of judicial programs from 1983 to 1986 and in the UGA College of Education from 1990 until her death in 2013 after a one-year battle with lung cancer. Throughout her career, she received numerous awards and recognitions, including the university's First Annual Diversity Award and the COE's First Annual Diversity Award, which was renamed the Jenny Penney Oliver Diversity Award in her honor.

UGA established one of the first student-run judiciaries in American higher education in 1968 rising out of concerns for due process for students in the civil rights movement. The UGA model has been emulated nationwide, and was even affirmed by proxy in federal court.

In support of the organization's new and existing programs, UGA Student Affairs has launched the University Judiciary Legacy Campaign, which aims to raise a $150,000 endowment. The endowment will enhance the group's efforts in proactively educating students through outreach programs and events, as well as provide opportunities for alumni and student networking.

"University Judiciary plays a critical role in fostering a community of respectful and responsible students," said Malone. "The time and effort these students commit to the organization and the service they provide to our campus is remarkable."