Universities Differ on Revealing Student Discipline

Scott Schneider was quoted in Pittsburgh Post-Gazelle on June 2, 2015. The article “Universities Differ on Revealing Student Discipline” discussed how within days of each other, two big name schools, the University of Oklahoma and Penn State University, faced fraternity scandals that drew national scorn, promises by campus administrators to act decisively and decisions by both schools to shut down fraternity chapters.

Scott said the privacy act is not the only ill-defined federal law. He said the idea that schools are motivated by image-protection is cynical and does not square with what he has observed.

“From practical experience, it’s almost frustrating not to be able to share [with the public] what was able to be done to an individual,’” he said.

His own take is Penn State’s interpretation was reasonable for a group as small as a fraternity. “If by disclosing information, could a reasonable person put 2 and 2 together and say ‘these are the people involved?’ Where do you draw the line?” he asked.

To read the full article, please visit Pittsburgh Post-Gazelle.

This article was picked up by MSN on June 2, 2013.