Via an e-mail from a friend. This is interesting, a story from AP on February 23, 2007:

“Bill would bar punishing students solely for attempting suicide”
RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia’s legislature has passed a bill that would prevent public universities and colleges from dismissing or punishing students solely for attempting to commit suicide, or seeking mental health treatment for suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
Under the bill, which the House of Delegates and Senate passed unanimously, universities could set policies for dealing with students who are a danger to themselves, or to others, and whose behavior is disruptive.
Bill sponsor Del. Albert C. Eisenberg, D-Arlington, said he introduced the bill in response to several cases in which students sued their universities for suspending them after trying to kill themselves or seeking treatment for depression. The measure is awaiting the signature of Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, who hasn’t indicated whether he’ll sign it.
“The pressures on (students) are tremendous,” said Eisenberg, whose legislation is intended to get students connected with mental-health professionals and counselors they need…
Some university health officials expressed concern because the legislation could set a precedent that could hamstring their ability to treat attempted suicides on an individual basis.
Dr. Jane T. Horton, director of student health and counseling services at Washington & Lee University, said that in some cases, allowing a suicidal student to remain at school “is putting their own health at risk or placing an undue burden on the university for taking care of them, and an undue burden to other students who are concerned.”…

ME: Obviously there’s a line here. Just kicking someone out for being depressed would be cruel, but you don’t want to keep schools from acting to protect their students from someone who is deranged either. Carol Iannone addresses the general question of what “warning signs” should have been heeded here, in PBC.