Marquette Student Suspended Because of Blog

The suspension of a Marquette University dental student for violation of professional conduct codes resulting from negative comments on a blog has created a controversy on and off campus.

From the JS Online article:

What bothers Taylor [Scott Taylor, the student’s attorney] and others is what they call vagueness of Marquette’s codes of conduct and the decision to apply them in this case. The dental school’s code requires students “to conduct interactions with each other, with patients and with others in a manner that promotes understanding and trust” and condemns “actions, which in any way discriminate against or favor any group or are harassing in nature.” . . .

Daniel D’Angelo, an adjunct associate professor of behavioral sciences in the School of Dentistry, agreed. He reviewed the student’s blog entries at the request of his parents before the conduct hearing. D’Angelo, who is a co-director of Marquette’s Ethics and Professionalism curriculum, determined that the postings did not justify disciplinary action.

“What he wrote was imprudent, immature and oftentimes distasteful,” D’Angelo wrote in a letter to Anthony Ziebert, a professor who headed the student-faculty review committee that heard the case. “But no matter how much I or anyone else find these entries, rude, distasteful and imprudent, it doesn’t make these entries unethical or immoral.”

The student is appealing the decision. This marks the second time Marquette has taken action against a student for statements made on a blog.