2008 Woodie Awards
Our Take
Majority opinions of The Red &?Black's editorial board
Issue date: 7/20/08 Section: Opinions
Unequal treatment
The parallel cases of Purewal and Biringer raise punishment questions
Attention incoming freshmen: The rule now seems to be that you can drink before freshman year, but your chances of attending the University could be 50/50.
Two incoming freshmen - Tyler Biringer and Hardeep Purewal - were arrested and charged with underage possession in June, but only Biringer is signed up for classes. Purewal won't be enjoying the fall in Athens.
As Nancy McDuff, associate vice president for admissions and enrollment management, explained to The Red & Black, each incident is considered on a case-by-case basis.
The cases look similar to us, but the Office of Admissions seems to think these kids aren't exactly alike. So what gives? Is it the fact that Biringer is from Georgia and Purewal is from North Carolina? Is the difference that Biringer was arrested a month before his orientation and Purewal was arrested during orientation? Or is it that Purewal was charged with urination in public and Biringer wasn't?
The apparent double-standard sends the wrong message. Slight differences between the two cases shouldn't merit such a different outcome. It's simple. Does the University accept students who are arrested for underage drinking or not?
The University's Office of Admissions should make clear what standard was used to make such a life-changing decision.
The University's alcohol policy needs to be made clear as well.
Despite all the new policy action taken to cut down underage drinking in the student body during the past two years, this discrepancy greatly damages its credibility.
We're not suggesting Biringer should be thrown out or that Purewal should be re-admitted. We just need some consistency.
- Carolyn Crist for the editorial board
Holaway gets away
Professor avoids administrative
punishment but is not off the hook
Well, at least the University tried. Despite the decision by a committee to terminate the employment of Christopher Shawn Holaway, a professor in the College of Pharmacy, he leaves the University free of repercussions - all because of a contractual technicality.
We at The Red & Black applaud the University's effort in trying to terminate Holaway's employment in response to him allegedly punching a student repeatedly last year at a fraternity party.
Although Holaway's lawyer said in a statement that any action by the University to impede Holaway's future employment is "actionable at law," we believe, based on past cases, Holaway will still pay a price for his actions.
In 2004, former University professor Benjamin G. Blount left the University amid claims of sexual harassment and began working at the University of Texas at San Antonio before the Office of Legal Affairs completed its investigation. Case closed, right? Wrong.
In March 2008, The Red & Black wrote several articles about the alleged incidents involving Blount. A case that had been dropped was suddenly open again - despite the incomplete investigation. Later that month, he resigned from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Although there may be nothing on Holaway's personnel record regarding the incident, sometimes the court of public opinion is enough.
- Tamara Best for the editorial board
The parallel cases of Purewal and Biringer raise punishment questions
Attention incoming freshmen: The rule now seems to be that you can drink before freshman year, but your chances of attending the University could be 50/50.
Two incoming freshmen - Tyler Biringer and Hardeep Purewal - were arrested and charged with underage possession in June, but only Biringer is signed up for classes. Purewal won't be enjoying the fall in Athens.
As Nancy McDuff, associate vice president for admissions and enrollment management, explained to The Red & Black, each incident is considered on a case-by-case basis.
The cases look similar to us, but the Office of Admissions seems to think these kids aren't exactly alike. So what gives? Is it the fact that Biringer is from Georgia and Purewal is from North Carolina? Is the difference that Biringer was arrested a month before his orientation and Purewal was arrested during orientation? Or is it that Purewal was charged with urination in public and Biringer wasn't?
The apparent double-standard sends the wrong message. Slight differences between the two cases shouldn't merit such a different outcome. It's simple. Does the University accept students who are arrested for underage drinking or not?
The University's Office of Admissions should make clear what standard was used to make such a life-changing decision.
The University's alcohol policy needs to be made clear as well.
Despite all the new policy action taken to cut down underage drinking in the student body during the past two years, this discrepancy greatly damages its credibility.
We're not suggesting Biringer should be thrown out or that Purewal should be re-admitted. We just need some consistency.
- Carolyn Crist for the editorial board
Holaway gets away
Professor avoids administrative
punishment but is not off the hook
Well, at least the University tried. Despite the decision by a committee to terminate the employment of Christopher Shawn Holaway, a professor in the College of Pharmacy, he leaves the University free of repercussions - all because of a contractual technicality.
We at The Red & Black applaud the University's effort in trying to terminate Holaway's employment in response to him allegedly punching a student repeatedly last year at a fraternity party.
Although Holaway's lawyer said in a statement that any action by the University to impede Holaway's future employment is "actionable at law," we believe, based on past cases, Holaway will still pay a price for his actions.
In 2004, former University professor Benjamin G. Blount left the University amid claims of sexual harassment and began working at the University of Texas at San Antonio before the Office of Legal Affairs completed its investigation. Case closed, right? Wrong.
In March 2008, The Red & Black wrote several articles about the alleged incidents involving Blount. A case that had been dropped was suddenly open again - despite the incomplete investigation. Later that month, he resigned from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Although there may be nothing on Holaway's personnel record regarding the incident, sometimes the court of public opinion is enough.
- Tamara Best for the editorial board
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