Student missing over a month

Police are still searching for David Dantzler-Wolfe, the Wharton junior last seen over a month ago. According to Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush, police do not have any promising leads in the case at this time. "We're not ruling anything out, including suicide," Rush said. She also emphasized that University police will continue searching for Dantzler-Wolfe indefinitely. "This is the kind of case that will never go cold," Rush said. According to University of Pennsylvania Police Special Services Director Patricia Brennan, Dantzler-Wolfe was last seen around 8 a.m. on Dec. 10. Brennan said that at that time, Dantzler-Wolfe entered Harnwell College House wearing dark pants, a backpack and a red and gray hooded sweatshirt. According to Rush, Dantzler-Wolfe did not show up for his scheduled exams on Dec. 10 or 11. Although federal guidelines mandate that police wait 72 hours before filing a missing person's claim, the Special Services Department began investigating as soon as it realized Dantzler-Wolfe was missing. "At Penn, we have never waited an hour if we suspect there's something wrong," Rush said. She explained that police began by alerting the student's family and calling area hospitals and the medical examiner's office. "It became clear as we approached the 24-hour mark that no one had seen him," Rush said. Since then, University police have worked with Philadelphia police, college house deans, student groups and local media to spread the word about Dantzler-Wolfe's disappearance. "At this point, I would venture to say there isn't anybody who doesn't know about this," Rush said. University President Judith Rodin echoed Rush's sentiments. "I think we've done everything we can to inform the community," Rodin said. "We think people know." Rodin also said that Dantzler-Wolfe's family visited Penn over winter break and chose to remove his belongings from his room. However, Rodin still expressed optimism about the outcome of the search. "We continue to be hopeful that we will find him," she said. "We're not going to give up." In the meantime, University officials have taken steps to prepare for the possible impact Dantzler-Wolfe's disappearance will have on other Penn students. According to Harnwell College House Dean Suhnne Ahn, Dantzler-Wolfe's friends and hallmates will be invited to attend a group meeting with counselors from Counseling and Psychological Services. Rush said that CAPS was prepared to help all students deal with the situation. She added that she was relying on college houses to help students return to school. "That's the whole purpose of the college house system," Rush said. "These are things that are just set in stone here -- it's automatic." University officials continue to express concern for Dantzler-Wolfe's well-being and sympathy for the members of his family. Police urge anyone who may have any information regarding the case to call the Special Services Department at (215) 898-6600. "If there's any information, no matter how small or how minute or unimportant you think it is, it might help us solve a puzzle," Rush said.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.