Sunshine Week

A citizen's right to know and journalists' rights to report are threatened every day, say the organizers of Sunshine Week.They planned the week long program to highlight freedom of information issues and emphasize the importance of open government.In Washington,D.C to mark the Sunshine Week, the SPLC wanted to take a look into college and university's rules when dealing with suicide threats and attempts. The idea was inspired by a study called "College Students in Crisis: Preventing Campus Suicides and Protecting Civil Rights."
Students who attempt suicide or make suicide threats on the campus will be removed from the housing on campus. In some cases they can even be kicked out of school. SPLC asked for info on all rules, regulations, procedures or guidelines concerning the removal of students from campus housing on the grounds of suicidal tendencies or suicide attempts. A open records request is some what of a challenge. Out of the 35 schools they sent requests to only 23 of them responded. Out of the 14 private schools 12 denied the requests. SPLC is still following up with the schools for more info for the project.
I think that the schools should give SPLC their requests because what is it going to hurt? SPLC is trying to conduct a project that will encourage open government and use open records to expand journalistic horizons. This is a serious topic anyways. You hear a lot about college student commit suicide or attempting it. Colleges should have strict rules on what happens to the students if they do this,because it may make them think twice before attempting it ever again. If we knew how all the colleges handled this kind of situation it could help the other schools. It could help because they make learn that they need stricter rules, or may find that another schools rules sound like they work better. In a way it would benefit the schools and i think they should all have to provide that info to SPLC. I even think the public has a right to know what the rules are if this situation takes place.
-Lindsay McKnight