Graduate student commits suicide inside professor's office

[snopes]

A male graduate student at Arizona State University committed suicide in the College of Design South building.

http://www.statepress.com/node/8727

[snoozn]

It seems like someone made an odd choice in picking a photo to illustrate the story. A couple of random students in a near-by building and taken in a way that really accentuates certain....ahem...characteristics of the one student. Or maybe it's just me.

[Cowboy Joe]

Well, certain things really do kind of stick out in that photo.

Having worked as a newspaper photog, my guess is that was about as close as the photog could get, and he/she was probably focussing on the looks of shock and sadness on the faces of the two women. It is also likely that whoever chose the photo was not the photographer and this might have been the only photo that seemed useable.

[geminilee]

Originally Posted by snoozn

It seems like someone made an odd choice in picking a photo to illustrate the story. A couple of random students in a near-by building and taken in a way that really accentuates certain....ahem...characteristics of the one student. Or maybe it's just me.

How could you de-accentuate those? Seriously, that is... impressively large and noticeable.

[RivkahChaya]

Originally Posted by snoozn

It seems like someone made an odd choice in picking a photo to illustrate the story. A couple of random students in a near-by building and taken in a way that really accentuates certain....ahem...characteristics of the one student. Or maybe it's just me.

That's a flotation device, right? She was on her way to go canoeing when she heard the news. Right?

[Salamander]

Originally Posted by geminilee

How could you de-accentuate those? Seriously, that is... impressively large and noticeable.

Wow... you're not wrong. The only way would be to frame the shot so that it's from the shoulders up.

[ganzfeld]

I don't think it's very polite to talk about the physical attributes of someone who just was unlucky enough to be in a news photo. If it were any other notable feature -- big ears or a bald head, for example -- would we be talking about it like this? (That's just my opinion, not judging or condemning.)

[Errata]

It seems like college suicides are not all that uncommon, but colleges usually manage to sweep it under the rug and keep it from getting much press or even attention from students. I guess the way this one was done in public made it harder to keep quiet.

[Ali Infree]

In a sense, some of the article seems to almost condone the suicide. Students sleeping in the building, lots of deadlines and pressure. "The best of the best" Looks to me like they are turning around their recruiting pitch for the program and saying, "Hey, it could make you shoot yourself!"

Every suicide is an unfinished story, an ending, but not always a plot line to follow. I have been trying to put myself in that student's place, since the age difference is small. Doesn't help me.

Ali "tough program, almost no one kills themselves though" Infree

[Luka_the_Pooka]

Goodness, when I saw "student" I had no idea that the man was nearly 60. Perhaps his age was a factor in coping with the high-demand work?

[RivkahChaya]

Originally Posted by Luka_the_Pooka

Goodness, when I saw "student" I had no idea that the man was nearly 60. Perhaps his age was a factor in coping with the high-demand work?

Until we have more information, we can't rule out the guy having some disease, either. Maybe he'd just been diagnosed with something, and was discussing with the professor his career options in light of the diagnosis, which turned out to be "none." So he killed himself. Or maybe the professor spurned his romantic advances. Just not enough information.

[Rocketship]

Originally Posted by Errata

It seems like college suicides are not all that uncommon, but colleges usually manage to sweep it under the rug and keep it from getting much press or even attention from students. I guess the way this one was done in public made it harder to keep quiet.

This isn't always true. My school sends out notifications to all students whenever a student takes his or her life. Besides the need for the student body to mourn, I think they're hoping that other students considering suicide will decide to seek help, instead.

[bthyb]

Originally Posted by RivkahChaya

That's a flotation device, right? She was on her way to go canoeing when she heard the news. Right?

I've always wondered what people thought when they look at me, now I know! Thanks! You've made my day.

[snoozn]

Originally Posted by ganzfeld

I don't think it's very polite to talk about the physical attributes of someone who just was unlucky enough to be in a news photo. If it were any other notable feature -- big ears or a bald head, for example -- would we be talking about it like this? (That's just my opinion, not judging or condemning.)

Perhaps my jokey tone was out of place, given the sad nature of the story. But my comment was aimed at whoever picked this photo. The caption says

Students watch from the College of Design North building as police investigate the scene where a graduate student killed himself inside an ASU professor’s office Monday morning.

These students don't look particularly shocked and saddened to me. (Not saying that they aren't--just that you can't tell from the photo). I would think they would want to illustrate the article with pictures of the victim or the professor. Otherwise, why not show the police investigating the scene? Or why not just a shot of the building where the office is located? Or a picture of the university's entrance?

Yes, I'm cynical, but I think someone picked this photo for inappropriate reasons.

[ganzfeld]

Originally Posted by snoozn

Perhaps my jokey tone was out of place, given the sad nature of the story. But my comment was aimed at whoever picked this photo.

I don't think your jokey tone or your question were out of place. I was more questioning that several posters commented "Wow! Those are really____!" which, regardless of the content of the story, is just not something many people want you to say about them. For myself only: OK to question the photograph selection but not OK to continue to remark on the physical attribute in question (more than is necessary for the topic at hand). I can just see women and men I know reading about themselves in that kind of comment and not talking it well. "Why did the photographer select such a large man for this photo?" is fine but "Holy! He really is fat!" is, IMO, a yellow card. Don't mean to sound scolding. I just thought it was good time to remind everyone that she is an actual person who may read various comments on the web about herself and it's not her fault that she happens to be in a news photo. That's all.

[purpleiguana]

Originally Posted by ganzfeld

I don't think it's very polite to talk about the physical attributes of someone who just was unlucky enough to be in a news photo. If it were any other notable feature -- big ears or a bald head, for example -- would we be talking about it like this? (That's just my opinion, not judging or condemning.)

That's what I was thinking as well, because unless she got implants, she's just playing the hand nature dealt her. I know I wouldn't like being singled out about some physical feature that I had no control over.

[hoitoider]

I have a feeling that pic was cropped to 1/10th or so its actual size. I don't think the photographer was focusing on those two people but probably took a picture of the entire building facade.