Last time I checked, one of the core values of Gustavus is Justice. The article “Sexual assault reported on campus,” crushed that value to pieces. I am absolutely appalled that this article was published in the manner it was, and there is more than one reason for this.

Reason number one: Jeff Stocco was interviewed before the hearing for the assailant in question was held. Stocco was supposed to be advising this student, assisting him in working through what was happening and helping him to create a fair hearing. The student in question was supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, but with beliefs that the student poses “a serious or continuing threat to students or employees,” Stocco clearly did not give that student a chance to be innocent, not for a second. This abolishes any sort of just nature to this hearing.

Reason number two that I am ashamed of my school: there was far too much information disclosed in this article. An article of this sort should not have been a thought before this hearing was held: however, not only was this article published, but it was also published with the identity of the student at stake. It is bad enough that anything was written, but the fact that information such as “senior, male student” was included is going beyond too much information. The article was a total breach of confidentiality and by no means upheld our so-called value of Justice.

Angelica Matthes ‘10