The night of March 24, 2001 is a night that will live in infamy for some students.

As police and other members of the Penn State community look back with dismay on the riotous activity after Penn State's loss to Temple in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, memories of the life-changing event continue to plague those who participated and sacrificed time at Penn State as a result.

One such student is Kevin Angle, who was arrested last April on charges of disorderly conduct and failure to disperse. His subsequent dismissal from Penn State prompted him to start a Web site to discourage students from participating in such unruly behavior.

Riotpromise.com includes personal reactions from Angle, an apology to the university and the community, and a request of students to make a commitment to avoid rioting.

"I would like to prevent any type of riot from ever happening in the future. This is why I created this Web site," Angle has written on the site.

The site is designed to appeal to the emotions of students who might consider being involved in riotous activity, Angle said.

It is directed toward students at Penn State, as well as those at other universities. Of particular concern to Angle are students who are just beginning their college careers, and who may be curious about the attention given to the downtown "demonstrations" Penn State has experienced in the past.

"I think it's good for incoming freshmen coming to college to be wild," Angle said. "If they see the site, maybe they will think twice before they do it."

But he admits that some students might not be very receptive to the purpose of the site.

"I think that students have mixed feelings about it. Some are angry with the people involved. Other students feel remorseful," Angle said.

Some people feel that the site might not have a big impact on students, both for lack of publicity and unreasonable expectations.

Former Penn State student Matthew Carino, who was suspended for participating in the riot last March, said he never heard of the Web site and is questioning whether or not students will visit the site.

"I'm not sure how it will affect students. It takes me back to high school with the Prom Promise and stuff. We're adults. We're old enough that we don't have to sign it. I know not to be in a riot," Carino said.

Media attention may help the Web site reach more people, but some students are weary of whether it will actually prevent people from rioting.

"I think that with it (receiving media attention) people will know its there and it might affect some people," said Sarah Walcavich (senior-psychology). "But on a Friday night, if people are upset, it's not going to change their mind at that moment."

Mark Charran, another former Penn State student who is still awaiting trial for his participation in the March riot, believes that the site promotes a good point, but that it will be other measures taken by the community that prevent future riots.

"I agree with the site. I don't want people to get involved," Charran said. "But with more police than students at things like the Arts Fest, that is enough to keep the riots down."

Jeff Miller (sophomore-biotechnology) feels the same way.

"The site is a step in the right direction and I'd check it out," he said. "But the actual laws are going to be what has an effect."

When it comes to the law, however, students involved are concerned that others are not fully aware of the ramifications of simply being present at the riots.

"I was ignorant of laws," Carino said. "I didn't know what you can and cannot do."

There is no differentiating between those who are actively participating in the riotous activities and those who are spectating, former student Brian McWilliams said. He was also suspended last March.

Angle, too, was surprised by how little one had to be involved to be considered at fault.

"I didn't harm anyone. I was videotaped just standing there," he said. But he admitted that he could have avoided the trouble. "Common sense would have told me to leave, but I guess I wasn't using too much common sense."

Charran agreed that students should be better informed about the fact that merely being downtown during the riots could lead to an arrest.

"It's a case of you were there and you were wrong. People need to know that if you stand there, you're wrong, even if you are just passing through," he said.

While it is important to students that people be aware of the laws concerning riots, prevention of future riots is also a big priority. Excessive publicity and alcohol were considered responsible for the activities in March.

"I think a couple people start it and it's a mass reaction," Miller said. "Riots are always a possibility when alcohol is involved."

Charran agreed that there is an intrigue about the attention the riots received.

"People blow it up in the news, so more students wonder about it," he said. "The whole point of the '99 riots was for people who missed the '98 riots."

But for those who are curious about the riots, there is Angle's life since the incident, as expressed in the Web site, to testify as to what can happen to students who become involved in riots.

"It has become an incident that has changed my life," Angle said on the Web site. "I made the biggest mistake of my life that night and no one knows it more than me. These riots must come to an end."