The past few weeks have certainly given Penn students plenty of reasons to be cautious around campus, but recent events at Harnwell College House have caused anxiety even closer to home.
Wharton sophomore Justin Wynter was arrested earlier this week for allegedly entering the dormitory room of a female student and fondling her early Sunday morning, according to University police. He faces a number of charges, including indecent assault, criminal trespassing and endangerment of another person.
Students in the building expressed various degrees of concern.
"It feels like it could happen anywhere else, too," Engineering sophomore and Harnwell resident Tiffany Chen said. "We thought this was a little more sheltered than living off campus."
One of Wynter's roommates, as well as his resident adviser, both contacted yesterday, would not comment on the incident or his arrest.
| The latest on this story: No 'malicious intent' for Wharton sophomore (Dec 10, 2003) Questions arise from dismissal of charges (Dec 08, 2003) Charges dismissed for Wharton sophomore (Dec 05, 2003) |
Although some students claimed to be taking extra precautions, they said that they did not hold the school's security accountable.
"I don't think we can really blame the school because it was a student-on-student attack and it wasn't like the security downstairs wasn't enough," said College junior Vaishali Patel, who lives on the building's 17th floor -- where Wynter also resided prior to the incident.
Patel, who said she did not know Wynter personally, added that she and her roommates "didn't used to lock our door when we were in the room, but now we've started to."
Although what happened "is a little scary," Engineering sophomore Divya Bhatt, who also lives on Wynter's former floor, but also did not know him, said she "can't think of anything else that could have been done [by the school] without intruding on our privacy."
Harnwell resident Robert McCutchen said that he blamed students' lax awareness of the dangers of their own environment rather than University security.
"I think [the victim] was wrong to leave her door unlocked at night," the College sophomore said. "Security does all that it can be expected to do."
Although, as per standard procedure, Wynter's identity was released by police following his arraignment, McCutchen said he does not think that information should be made public unless Wynter is found guilty.
"I don't agree with The Daily Pennsylvanian printing his picture," he said. "I think he should have to be convicted before we start sending his picture around."
Others, however, said that they were not disturbed by the incident.
"It really doesn't bother me that much," said Nursing senior Caitlin Howland, who lives in Harnwell. "I lock my door at night anyway, but it has made me more aware."
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