Vanderbilt University

Date: Jun 10 2016
Major: Political Science (This Major's Salary over time)
I write this in the sincere hope that it can help someone make a more informed decision on where to invest 4 and hope that Universities stop turning a blind eye to crime on campus and treat it as any other crime committed.

One of my 4 roommates Senior year was caught on video tape stealing from me. He later admitted to stealing more things from me and my other three roommates. He had stolen clothes, video games, money, and electronics totaling over Five Thousand Dollars. We tried to take the case to Vanderbilt so it could be handled internally, but Vanderbilt and Student Accountability gave him the same punishment that they would give a student for taking less than the required credit hours.He was given a deffered probation so no record would ever show up that he had a tendency to steal things. In response, despite what Vanderbilt administration wanted me to do, we took the case to court where his lawyer sent a plea deal to a misdemeanor theft and a year probation. In the court system where the burden of proof is beyond a reasonable doubt, he was found guilty. At Vanderbilt, where the burden of proof is more likely than not, he was given a slap on the wrist. Neither me nor my roommates were ever contacted by Student Accountability as part of their "investigation" despite me trying. Everyone he lived with starting his freshman year complained of things being stolen. Vanderbilt turned a blind eye and only victimized myself and my roommates. Throughout the process I was constantly dissuaded from going to the police with the evidence I had compiled. Meanwhile almost an entire month later, Vanderbilt Housing had still not removed him completely from his room in our suite. Vanderbilt has a great academic reputation as they should, but their lack of ethics and a moral code in my experience with Housing and Student Accountability is deplorable. I loved the school and felt they treated me very well until this arose and lasted my entire senior year.