Student dies, KU rethinks privacy policy

LAWRENCE, Kan., April 8 (UPI) -- University of Kansas officials say they are rethinking the school's student privacy policy after a freshman with a history of alcohol infractions died.

Jason Wren, 19, of Littleton, Colo., was found dead in his bed March 8 at a fraternity house in Lawrence. It turns out he had been kicked out of a KU residence hall for repeated alcohol infractions but his parents never were told that because the university's privacy policy forbade administrators from telling them, The Kansas City Star reported Tuesday.

The boy's father, Jay Wren, told the Star that before his son's death KU housing officials wouldn't tell him what policies his son had violated. Wren said he would have pulled his son out of school if he thought he had an alcohol problem.

Marlesa Roney, vice provost for student success at KU, said her office has put together a committee to examine the privacy issue.

"I'm a firm believer that anytime there is a student emergency incident that we take a step back and say: What did we learn, in this case, from Jason Wren?" Roney said. "Are there any modifications that need to be made?"