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Video related to this article is available below.Issue date: 3/4/08 Section: News
Student prompts security increase
Penn Law concerned over student's unstable behavior, placing him on involuntary leave
Anthony Campisi
Security has been increased around the Law School over the past several days in response to a student who has exhibited signs of unstable behavior.
The student is being placed on involuntary leave. According to the University's involuntary leave of absence policy, a student can be placed on leave when he or she exhibits behavior that "harms or threatens to harm the health or safety of the students or others; causes or threatens to cause significant property damage; or significantly disrupts the educational and other activities of the University community."
The student had caused administrators concern because of an incident that happened at the Law School. It was then discovered that he had taken himself off of his psychiatric medication about a month ago, according to two Penn Law employees who were briefed on the situation and spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose this information. However, they were not told the specifics of the initial incident.
Penn Law spokesman Mark Eyerly said security measures have been put in place only as a precaution.
"There have been no threats … made against anyone in the Law School or broader University community," he said.
Eyerly declined to elaborate on the incident that triggered this action or when this incident occurred, citing student confidentiality rules. One Penn Law employee, however, noticed that administrators began acting as if there were a problem starting on Wednesday."
In response to the student's behavior, Penn Police officers have been stationed at the Law School's entrances on Sansom and Chestnut streets since Thursday.
In addition, the entrance on South 34th Street was closed for planned construction because of concerns that the Division of Public Safety would be unable to secure the building if three entrances were open, the employees said.
Eyerly said that the security presence is "likely to be of limited duration" and may be adjusted "as the situation evolves." The Penn Law employees were told increased security would probably last until the end of the week.
The student's situation was not disclosed to the broader Law School community because the administration "wanted to be careful to not create concern or alarm where there didn't need to be any," Eyerly said, adding that "people who had a direct connection to this situation were quietly told what was happening."
Though the student will not be attending classes, it would be possible for him to return to Penn if he meets certain conditions set by the provost.
The student is being placed on involuntary leave. According to the University's involuntary leave of absence policy, a student can be placed on leave when he or she exhibits behavior that "harms or threatens to harm the health or safety of the students or others; causes or threatens to cause significant property damage; or significantly disrupts the educational and other activities of the University community."
The student had caused administrators concern because of an incident that happened at the Law School. It was then discovered that he had taken himself off of his psychiatric medication about a month ago, according to two Penn Law employees who were briefed on the situation and spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose this information. However, they were not told the specifics of the initial incident.
Penn Law spokesman Mark Eyerly said security measures have been put in place only as a precaution.
"There have been no threats … made against anyone in the Law School or broader University community," he said.
Eyerly declined to elaborate on the incident that triggered this action or when this incident occurred, citing student confidentiality rules. One Penn Law employee, however, noticed that administrators began acting as if there were a problem starting on Wednesday."
In response to the student's behavior, Penn Police officers have been stationed at the Law School's entrances on Sansom and Chestnut streets since Thursday.
In addition, the entrance on South 34th Street was closed for planned construction because of concerns that the Division of Public Safety would be unable to secure the building if three entrances were open, the employees said.
Eyerly said that the security presence is "likely to be of limited duration" and may be adjusted "as the situation evolves." The Penn Law employees were told increased security would probably last until the end of the week.
The student's situation was not disclosed to the broader Law School community because the administration "wanted to be careful to not create concern or alarm where there didn't need to be any," Eyerly said, adding that "people who had a direct connection to this situation were quietly told what was happening."
Though the student will not be attending classes, it would be possible for him to return to Penn if he meets certain conditions set by the provost.
Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 8
Current student
posted 3/04/08 @ 1:53 PM EST
We don't know the full situation here, so I can only go by what's reported. Based on what's reported, Penn's actions are atrocious. The University acknowledges that there have been no threats made. (Continued…)
re: Current student
posted 3/04/08 @ 2:16 PM EST
Obviously a lot isn't being reported, so we shouldn't second-guess the University's actions. If anything, Penn is ultra-politically correct and would err on the side of caution, i. (Continued…)
@ previous comments
posted 3/04/08 @ 3:02 PM EST
I actually think that Penn handled this correctly.
With all the violence at colleges recently, you can't be too careful. If there's reason to believe that this student is a threat, validated by the fact that he stopped taking his medication, I'm all for putting him on leave until he's deemed to be safe. (Continued…)
C
posted 3/04/08 @ 9:07 PM EST
Why even report on this? The DP obviously has very little knowledge of what is really going on. I think this causes increased alarm since there is some secret threat out there that noone knows about or understands. (Continued…)
Nicholas Miter
posted 3/05/08 @ 12:04 AM EST
Unless there was yet another mishap by Penn or Penn Law, I am the student who was placed on this leave of absence.
This is nothing more than a staged proceeding to force me to make precedent in the third circuit by tarnishing my reputation. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 3/06/08 @ 11:47 AM EST
A message from Dean Fitts (Received on 3/5/2008)
To the Law School Community,
As you may know, there was increased Public Safety presence at the Law School for a few days. (Continued…)
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