Letter to the Editor | From the University

We have recently learned that we have two employees and one graduate student whose names appear on the Megan's Law list for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Megan's Law is a federal statute that requires persons convicted of a range of sexual offenses to register with the state police. Those persons who register are listed on a Web site which identifies offenders by name, address, and zip code.

We are currently reviewing the status of each of these individuals to determine the risks, if any, to the safety and security of our community. In the case of the graduate student, the judicial system of a neighboring county is also reviewing his status.

In each of these cases, we will conduct our review in a fair and rigorous manner. In accordance with law and principle, we will be scrupulously attentive to campus safety and security concerns while avoiding unwarranted stigmatization of former offenders. Accordingly, we will look at the relevant circumstances of each particular case carefully and thoroughly. We will ensure that the University officials charged with making these decisions are supported by the advice and counsel of the University's Division of Public Safety and of the Office of General Counsel. As an educational institution, these are not only our legal obligations, but our responsibilities as community leaders and educators.

Under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, institutions of higher education are required to issue a statement advising the campus community where law enforcement agency information provided by a State concerning registered sex offenders may be obtained. The University, through its Division of Public Safety, has provided this information in its annual crime report.

The President has requested that we conduct a comprehensive and expeditious review of our policies and practices regarding employment and admission of past offenders to determine the need for any appropriate modifications of policies and practices. In discharging this task, we will, of course, welcome input from the University community. Once we have completed this review, we will share our recommendations to the President with the University community.

In closing, we wish to reiterate our commitment to providing a safe environment for our students, faculty and staff.

Ronald Daniels & Craig Carnaroli

The authors are the University Provost and Executive Vice President, respectively

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