The Exponent


Thursday,4/5/2001	5 day quick link 4/4 \| 4/3 \| 4/2 \| 3/30 3/29

Rewards to bring false information

The University is asking for information that will allow it to press charges against those students who were especially destructive.

In Wednesday's editorial, the Exponent asked for strong action in punishing the vandals who were part of Sunday's "celebration."

This isn't exactly what we meant.

At best, it will be used to punish those few who actually set fires, broke windows and damaged property. They'll be caught and charged, placing blame where it belongs. The only calls made will come from people who stepped forward with pride in Purdue.

At worst, it will make the student body look even worse. Students anxious for money or looking to hurt an enemy will file false reports that will take even more time to sort through. This creates more work for the Purdue Police.

The information won't be coming from the students who stayed inside and waited for the destruction to end — they were in their homes. But if it does, it will be information on friends or roommates who talked about what they did the next day.

More likely though, the information will be coming from students who were in the crowds, watching and cheering on the vandals. It will come from students who took pictures or videos of what was going on, not to help the police later, but to commemorate the night and how crazy it got.

These students didn't help stop the "celebration" at the time; they were part of the crowds and rewarding them for being there seems hypocritical at best.

We applaud the University's desire to punish those responsible. We even support the use of expulsion in the most extreme cases to send a clear message to the student body that vandalism will not be tolerated.

The one thing this reward will accomplish is deterring similar situations in the future.

But at what point should students be subjected to charges? If they came out to see what the commotion was should they be charged? What if they shouted or chanted? What if they threw rocks or bottles? What if they broke windows — what is worthy of expulsion and what's just part of the "celebration"?

And how can you tell the difference in blurry photographs and videos or the rumors and secondhand stories of friends?

We wish the University and the Purdue Police good luck in telling the difference and hope only for the best.

n Editorial Board: Keith Thomas, Tom McHenry, Melissa Davis and Laura Pelner.

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