Former George Washington University student Jordan Nott recently filed a lawsuit against GWU and eight university administrators, claiming that the school violated federal law protecting Americans with disabilities, according to The Washington Post.
The Post reported that at 2 a.m. on Oct. 27, 2004, Nott checked himself into George Washington University Hospital due to severe depression and suicidal thoughts.
According to The Post, within a day and half of arriving at the hospital to seek help, Nott received a letter from the administration saying that his "endangering behavior" violated their school code of conduct.
Unlike GWU, AU does not have a policy for students who are suicidal or experiencing psychological distress, said Faith Leonard, AU's dean of students. Each situation is handled on a case-by-case basis, Leonard said.
Nott's lawsuit states he was issued an immediate suspension, barred from his dorm and all other GWU property and was threatened with arrest if he returned to campus, according to a report on Hypericum Buyers Club Protocol's Web site, a company that deals with depression and mental health medications and issues. GWU said that if he withdrew from campus and sought treatment for his depression, his charges would be deferred.
The HBC Protocol's report also stated Nott permanently withdrew from GWU on Nov. 8, 2004, and enrolled at the University of Maryland in April 2005. His lawsuit states he is seeking damages from eight complaints against GWU, including its alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which covers both mental and physical handicaps, the Fair Housing Act and the D.C. Humans Rights Act.
Nott accuses the hospital of unlawfully disclosing personal information to administrators, which is in violation of the D.C. Mental Health Information Act. According to the report, Nott's lawsuit is demanding in excess of $100,000.
Tracy Schario, a GWU spokeswoman, issued a statement concerning the lawsuit on March 6 defending the university's actions. Their foremost concern is for the student's life, according to the statement. However, the school must also be concerned with the "protection and safety of the entire community, which may be impacted by the student's words or behavior."
The school has always had voluntary medical or mental leave of absence procedures to protect the student's privacy and status at the university and to avoid academic penalty, according to the statement. Schario said this policy was reviewed before the lawsuit and will continue to be reviewed after it.
Rachel Wernicke, a licensed psychologist at AU's Counseling Center, said AU offers a variety of services to students suffering from depression.
"Depending on how distressed the student is, we would consider options including ongoing individual or group counseling at the Counseling Center and/or psychopharmacological treatment," Wernicke said. "Students who require more immediate, extensive, intensive or specialized care than is available at the Counseling Center are provided with assistance in connecting to appropriate services off-campus."
Dr. Phil Meilman of Georgetown University's Counseling and Psychiatric Service recommends evaluation and treatment for students with severe depression or suicidal thoughts, including individual and group counseling, medication evaluation and management, outreach and consultation and referrals to other sources of help.
Wernicke also noted that the Counseling Center has several emergency appointments open every day. Students can contact the center at 202-885-3500 or make online appointments at www.american.edu/counseling. Wernicke said that if there are any on-campus emergencies, students should call Public Safety at 202-885-3636. More information about the Counseling Center can be found on its Web site, http://www.american.edu/ocl/counseling.
