GW was in the news last year for its attempts to serve the best interests of a student who had sought mental health treatment, while also considering the well-being of all of our students. Ultimately, the university decided that an interim involuntary leave was the best course of action to protect a life. We were sued by the former student, and the media and others were quick to fault the university. (The case has been settled.) Had the student stayed at GW and hurt himself or others, it's likely the criticism would have been that the university should have done even more. We probably still would have faced a lawsuit. In this case, we stand by the result that a life may have been saved. And we needed to have been thoughtful in our adjudication process.
