Monday, September 22, 2008

Awesome Kickball Game on Friday! But Not Without Controversey...

For those who weren't able to go to the BLA/SELA bbq-kickball game, you missed out on a helluv a time.  Despite being a bit overcast, some folks manned the bbq and the rest of us manned one of the five kegs.  There was a good sized turnout (we went through 4 kegs and half way through the 5th).  The turnout was actually probably a little too good, as evidence by the low scoring kickball game.  There were literally, 30 people per team in the outfield on defense.  It was ridiculous.

But of course, the festivities wasn't the highlight of the game.  A misunderstanding between two students nearly escalated into a full blown tussle thanks to the preventative efforts of some of the other students.  I don't think it's necessary to go into the specific details of what went on, but it prompted some thinking afterwards by some colleagues: if a fight had occurred, would this have been grounds for an expulsion?  And who might get expelled?  Is this even a matter for the school to get involved with?

One take is that no sanctions  should occur because the event happened off campus.  And even then, it was simply a personal dispute between two private parties that had nothing to do with the school.  As such, the school should stay out.

The other side of it argues that the Honor Code mandates the school get involved.  The Honor Code states in Section 2(b) it has jurisdiction to punish for any violation of local, state, or federal law as well as any conduct that occurs on or off the USF campus, if it bears some relation to the school.  Section 2(c) allows punishment for any conviction for a local, state, or federal law, on or off campus, if the action bears upon their fitness to practice law.  As such, Section 2(b) and 2(c) give very broad, thus giving the school pretty wide latitutd  Seeing as it's definetly a violation of law to assualt someone, the school could take jurisdiction and punish any offenders.  

This point taken to it's logical end, a person could be on summer vacation in Wasilla, Alaska, get convicted for public intoxication, and face the possibility of being expelled from law school when he gets back in the fall.  Even though the events in Wasilla have absolutely nothing to do with the school.  Does this seem right?  Anyone have any thoughts?   

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