In a Technology-Driven World, Actions Can Have Far-Reaching and Devastating Consequences

The recent sad news from Rutgers University should give us all pause to reflect - and especially those of us in higher education communities.

The tragic suicide of Rutgers student Tyler Clementi, the result of a case of invasion of privacy through cyber bullying, is both heartbreaking and hard to accept. It is all the more sad because here was a first-year student who had just embarked on his educational path, and no doubt was looking forward to all that college life has to offer.

As much as we would like to believe otherwise, civility, respect, tolerance and understanding are tenets not shared by all in today's society - even on college campuses, where we celebrate and promote the value of a multicultural and diverse student body.

To reach those who, for whatever reason, have not received or accepted the message that all human beings have inherent worth and dignity, no matter how much they may be different from us, it is incumbent upon us all to work harder to convey this belief.

We need to spread the word, as well, that our actions - for good or ill - have consequences. In the technological world we live in, we often choose disembodied forms of communication over face-to-face or voice-to-voice contact. But there is something that's lost through the emotional disconnect of Facebook, Twitter and text messages. And, as we have seen, when bullying is carried out via the tools of cyberspace, the consequences can be deadly.

While, on one level, the lesson here has to do with the actions and consequences of communication in cyberspace, the larger lesson is one of human relations, understanding and acceptance. We are all different, but we are one. Once we understand and believe that to be true, the better off we'll be.