And Justice for All: Student frightened off campus by JIO

Third in a Series He knows the Judicial Inquiry Office like the back of his hand. Michael, who asked that his real name not be used, has been through two separate judicial processes, and has spoken with Assistant JIO Robin Read on a regular basis for over two years. The College senior says his first encounter with the system was during his freshman year, when he fought with another student "in self defense." "If you've never been there, you just can't know what it's like," he said of the judicial system. "You're guilty until proven innocent and they have all the power." Read refused to comment on this case but new JIO Steven Blum says the JIO does not presume students are guilty. "There is the presumption of innocence built into the system," he said. "The JIO looks for a preponderance of evidence which demonstrates that the student was more or less likely to have violated a rule. There are no presumptions of guilt. It's quite the opposite, actually." Michael says Read discouraged him from going to a hearing and offered him a settlement – suspended suspension, meaning if he got in trouble a second time, he would be suspended from classes, he says. "They have total control," he said. "They tell you what to sign and when to sign it." Blum says although he cannot explain experiences students may have had with his predecessor, students have the right not to settle and can use their own judgment on whether or not they want a hearing. Michael's second brush with the JIO came during his sophomore year, when he was brought up on charges of physically abusing Hill House officials and being drunk and disorderly. "I was completely innocent," he said. "There were others that may have given them a hard time, but I didn't do anything." When he entered Read's office this time, he says, there was no doubt in her mind: he was definitely guilty. "I had been here before," he said. "She took one look at my record and that was it." Again, he was discouraged from pursuing a hearing, and again he took a settlement, he says. This time it was suspended expulsion. If he was brought up on more charges, he would face expulsion. "I'm really paranoid now," Michael said. "That's why I live off campus. Most things tend to happen on campus and I don't want to take any chances." He doesn't really blame Read for problems within the JIO, though. "She's just trying to do her job, but she's under a lot of pressure from the administration to do the right thing," he said. But Michael thinks the University doesn't need a judicial system. "When I had a problem at home, I took care of it myself," he said. "Students should have control over their problems. But now, the JIO has total control over your life at Penn."