Student Suicide and Colleges' Liability

By ROBERT B. SMITH and DANA L. FLEMING

Virginia recently became the first state to pass legislation that bars public colleges and universities from punishing or expelling students "solely for attempting to commit suicide, or seeking mental-health treatment for suicidal thoughts or behaviors." While well intentioned, the law adds nothing to current law and will, in fact, make a bad situation even worse. By suggesting that institutions could have a basic duty to prevent student suicide, it opens the door for more high-profile