The news of the alleged assault of a Princeton University student in the Quadrangle, which has spread quickly across campus and placed Penn in the national spotlight, has left Quad residents shocked, angry and embarrassed.
"I think it's probably one of the most disgusting things I've seen or read about," College freshman Joshua Kruger said.
College freshmen David Hochfelder and Philip Balderston, College sophomore Thomas Bispham Jr., Wharton sophomore Tavraj Banga and College senior Steven Stolk were arrested for allegedly pouring motor oil over John Brantl, a visiting Princeton debate team member, and flicking a lit cigarette on him on Nov. 16.
The story was picked up in the national media yesterday, when the Associated Press wrote about the alleged assault.
Most people said they hope the University expels the students if they are found guilty of the crime.
"I think they should be expelled, if it's true what happened, and have all legal action taken against them," College sophomore William Ward said.
Students said the news was beyond anything they could imagine happening at Penn.
"At first, I didn't believe it," Engineering freshman Alice Crane said. "I thought people were overreacting, but when I found out the severity of the incident, it was really shocking. I didn't believe Penn students would really do that."
Other students had similar reactions to what they heard had happened.
College freshman Patrick Linnemann said he was "surprised and shocked that students would have such hatred and take such measures."
More than anything else, students said they feared that the incident would tarnish Penn's image.
"I think it poorly represents and gives a bad reputation to the school and the debate team," Linnemann said.
"Penn is an idea and a school," Kruger said. "When they did something like that, it really trashed the idea of Penn tradition."
College freshman Jeff Sandman said he was particularly ashamed because he was a host for the Princeton debate team.
"I was embarrassed by it," Sandman said. "I was apologizing to the Princeton kids over and over for something I didn't do."
He also said that being a new Penn student did not detract from his feelings about the situation.
"I've only been here a few months, but you really want your school represented well," Sandman added.
Lauren Moskovitz, who organized the debate tournament, also expressed her concern over how this would affect Penn's reputation.
"It has been a sad event," the Engineering junior said. "It detracted from a very successful tournament. I hope [students who were involved] see the error of their ways. We don't want the University to be represented as one that condones this type of action. We need to hold ourselves to a greater moral and academic standard."
Many of the students also said that they felt the alleged assault took the Penn-Princeton rivalry way too far.
Brian Vo, a Wharton freshman, said he reacted with "disbelief that something like that could happen because of inter-Ivy rivals. I just think that's really sad."
While many students agreed that the alleged incident was violent and unfair to the victims, some also said they understood it as a trick rather than an act of criminal malice.
"I don't think they had criminal intentions," College freshman Sarah Martiny said. "I think it was more of a college prank."
Most students emphasized the importance of being sure of who was involved and to what extent, but the majority also said they felt whoever was significantly involved should be punished harshly.
"I think that people are generally incensed, and it's very clear that people want some kind of action taken against at least the ringleaders of the fiasco," College freshman Moses Sternstein said. "It seems unclear what role everybody played, but something definitely has to be done."
Moskovitz said she expects the students to be expelled, and most students said they would agree with such a serious course of action.
At the same time, some students said they doubt the school will take such aggressive measures.
"I think it warrants expulsion, but I don't think the University has the balls to do that because the University panders to parents and coddles its students," Kruger said.
While emotions are raging throughout the Quad and the Penn community, most students said the alleged incident has not affected their sense of security on campus.
"Since it wasn't people from [outside the University], I don't see what could have been done otherwise," Crane said.
