Student drops his unusual lawsuit

After claiming for months that the University caused him "mental, physical and financial injuries" when it took action against his alleged campaign of harassment and vandalism last year, College senior Stanley Schuldiner agreed to dismiss his lawsuit against the University last month. The lawsuit stemmed from an incident over a year and a half ago in which Schuldiner, then a College sophomore, allegedly asked his roommate to take his Physics 150 final exam for him in December 1990. The roommate said he thought Schuldiner was just kidding, and jokingly agreed to take the test. Schuldiner, however, was apparently not kidding. After failing the exam, he embarked on an alleged campaign of vengeance against his roommate and others. The campaign included ordering his roommate more than 30 unwanted magazine subscriptions, using PARIS to drop several of his roommate's classes, disconnecting his telephone line and even depositing human feces and urine outside the dormitory door of his roommate. After the University forced Schuldiner to vacate his High Rise North room in an attempt to stop the alleged bad behavior, Schuldiner claimed in court that the University left him homeless and subsequently caused him to become sick. The University, however, said that Schuldiner was offered alternative housing and counterclaimed that he caused $448.50 in vandalism damages after he started the alleged harassment. In November, Muncipal Court Judge Edward Mekel ruled against both Schuldiner and the University, arguing that Schuldiner's own actions contributed to his misfortunes and that the University could not prove that Schuldiner was responsible for any of the vandalism. The dispute was scheduled to enter arbitration this week, but Associate General Counsel Frank Roth said Tuesday that both Schuldiner and the University had agreed to dismiss the court case. Roth said that the matter will now be handled internally, including any claim the University might continue to make for $448.50 in vandalism charges. Assistant Judicial Inquiry Officer Robin Read would not comment Tuesday on whether the JIO's officer was still handling the case. But according to the Registrar's Office, Schuldiner is still listed as a student at the University and is scheduled to graduate with the Class of 1993. Schuldiner, who is home at least for the summer, is travelling and could not be reached for comment this week, his mother said.

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