EDITORIAL: Holding students accountable

A new law makes it possible to release data on violent offenders and students cited for drinking. Made sick by the idea of facing your assailant on campus every day, you seek justice through Penn's internal judiciary system. And let's say that the offender is punished for the crime -- suspended or expelled even. But no matter how guilty, your assailant will never be held accountable to the people who matter most: student peers. Like all other colleges in the nation, Penn has been barred in the past from releasing the names of offenders to the public. But a law recently passed by Congress gives the University sweeping power to make public the names of violent offenders. The new law doesn't stop there. It also says Penn can notify your parents if you're cited for an alcohol infraction. These provisions, part of the federal higher education bill, impact every student in the University. And because Penn has the power to decide what information it will release, the University community should take an active role in setting the standards of information dissemination. Specifically, the law allows schools to release the name of students who are found to have committed violent crimes, the type of violation and the sanctions imposed. With regard to alcohol, the law states that parents may be notified when a student under 21 years old violates a school policy or the law. But the law itself does not mandate that Penn release any information. Instead, it is up to each institution to determine a policy within the range the law allows. Which is why students' opinions are so important. As a community, we have the responsibility to hold students accountable for their actions. Before deciding on a policy, the University should hold a campus-wide dialogue aimed at finding common ground on these key issues. Officials should start by sending a letter to all students explaining what the new law could mean to them. The Daily Pennsylvanian is also committed to participating in the dialogue. To that end, the DP has added a new Forum section to its Web site -- The Daily Pennsylvanian Interactive at http://dailypennsylvanian.com -- where you are encouraged to share your thoughts on the matter. We'll post your comments on the Internet and run some of them as Letters to the Editor. As students and administrators consider Penn's policies, we urge them to keep two words in mind: "accountability" and "responsibility." But when it comes to releasing the names of students cited with alcohol or other substance infractions, we urge officials to defer to students' individual responsibility. Under current law, Penn has long been able to notify most parents of alcohol infractions -- but has chosen not to. With the exception of life-threatening situations where students repeatedly end up in the hospital or incidents involving alcohol-related violence, officials should continue to acknowledge that students are mature enough to handle the repercussions of their actions -- without parents being notified. No matter how Penn decides to handle its options, we hope that officials make an informed decision -- a feat that can only be accomplished if students voice their views.

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