What is it about administration departments and bureaucracies that causes otherwise intelligent and sensitive people to completely abandon common sense and the basic human value of caring? Behavioral scientists might well study Washington D.C.'s George Washington University for an answer. According to the Washington Post, college student Jordan Nott checked himself into the University's hospital complaining that he was depressed and considering suicide. The University swiftly responded…you're not going to believe this…that he had violated student rules with "endangering behavior" that could lead to his suspension or expulsion, and that pending an investigation of charges, he was temporarily suspended and barred from the campus, though he could defer the charges by leaving school to receive treatment. G.W.U. ended its message with "Get well soon!"

Just kidding about that last part.

Great treatment for a student's depression, eh? "How dare you be depressed? You and your crazy suicidal thoughts are a danger to all the normal students, you nut job! If we see you skulking around campus, you'll be sorry! We think the best thing for all concerned is for you to just leave." George Washington University clearly regards emotional illness as a disciplinary problem, unlike, to cite one example, infectious diseases, which also pose some risk to University students and staff. Why? Are the school's administrators worried about law suits? Are they simply insensitive, unfeeling, ignorant clods? Perhaps they were brought here from the 15^th Century by a mad professor's time travel device, carrying with them that dark period's belief that mental illness was proof of possession by demons.

It doesn't matter why the school acted in such an outrageous way, because it was irresponsible and uncaring conduct whatever the reason. Jordan Nott acted responsibly by seeking medical help in a timely fashion. The school then felt it was appropriate to punish him for it. The lessons being taught by this elite institution of higher learning? Mental illness, of which depression is the most common and most frequently untreated form, deserves to be treated with fear, prejudice, and disapproval rather than understanding, compassion and assistance. And the school would prefer to push potentially suicidal students into fatal despair rather than to allow them to remain on the campus that claimed to be a community of caring colleagues and friends.

Mr. Nott has withdrawn from George Washington, which in light of his mistreatment was a wise course of action. Other students who fear that they might exhibit signs of stress might consider doing likewise unless or until there is some indication that the university has over-hauled its administrative personnel by using that time machine to send the current batch back to the Spanish Inquisition or someplace similarly appropriate. When a school is run by Ethics Dunces, anyone would be crazy to go there.