The Right to Remain Silent

Inside Higher Ed: "“Talk to us.” That’s the message student affairs officers constantly send to students, encouraging them to bring them their problems. In part, student affairs reach students by promising confidentiality. Abiding by such a promise landed a dean of students in court this month, facing criminal charges of failing to report felonies. On Friday, an Ohio jury acquitted Patricia O’Toole of the charges in a case that pitted confidentiality pledges against crime reporting laws. Several legal experts said that they knew of no other case in which a dean of students faced such charges."