To the editor:

It is disappointing that our renowned university overreacted to a student’s prank and immaturity that affected the entire community.

Certainly the student’s racial words were alarming in today’s world of super sensitivity but obviously there was no realization of the consequences until severe penalty was confronted.

Parents of children try to warn of such human error, but it happens and must be recognized and dealt with but not so severely as to practically destroy a human life.

The university leadership should have taken the advice of the mature prosecuting attorney and a remorseful student could be well on his way to being a resourceful citizen.

Gerald Serbinski

Houghton