Mark Charran never intended to get involved in the riots last March on Beaver Avenue.

Charran was in his apartment at Penn Tower, 255 E. Beaver Ave., as the early morning confrontation between students and police began to intensify.

From his balcony, Charran saw a friend on the street waving to him, so he went to let her into his building, which had been locked down when the disturbance began.

In his attempt to get his friend, Charran said he ended up in a photograph that was published on the front page of the Centre Daily Times — a photo that led to his arrest for failure to disperse and disorderly conduct, as well as his one-year suspension from Penn State.

A little more than a year after the events, Charran said he believes his situation illustrates a problem in the policy of the university that could lead to similar situations in the future. Many students are not aware that merely being present in such a situation is illegal and could lead to disciplinary actions similar to his, he said.

"We weren't rioting at the time," he said. "I know in my heart if I knew having two feet down there was a crime, I wouldn't have been there."

Others feel the consequences of participating in a riot are well known.

Bill Mahon, Penn State spokesman, said the university policy following the riots effectively showed students that involvement in the riots was wrong.

"Our stance on students involved in riots was a tough one, and it remains," he said.

The university policy following the riots resulted in some students being suspended from school, and criminal repercussions ranged from fines to actual jail time.

Mahon said these repercussions were well known and publicized. Students learned they would be accountable, even if they were in a crowd, he added.

"It was communicated pretty broadly," he said.

Tony Lopinsky, the State College Police Department head of community relations and crime prevention, said students know how the riots affect them and what university sanctions could result from their participation.

State College resident Herb Sharpe said he agreed with the university's actions following the riots.

"It went without saying that the university couldn't let this behavior keep going," he said. "I would just feel in knowing what the penalties are . . . students are going to be a little bit smarter."

Sharpe felt the effects of the riots personally. He was forced to undergo surgery to repair torn ligaments after he was knocked to the ground by students who were rushing away from police, who were using pepper spray to disperse the crowd.

Sharpe said time could bring back the potential for another riot situation though.

"It's easy for people to slip back into a comfortable existence," he said.

Charran also said many students could forget about what happened before.

Police estimated 4,000 people were at the riots last March. This number shows students had already forgotten about the previous riots during the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts in 1998 and 2000 and the resulting repercussions, Charran said.

"Students have fickle memories," he said. "I know I do."

Charran was also arrested following the riots in July of 2000.

Following his arrest for the March 2001 riot, the university suspended Charran for one year, an action he does not dispute.

"I don't hold any grudges against anyone," he said, adding that the Office of Judicial Affairs process was fair.

The policy of suspending students involved in previous riots is not the best means for preventing future disturbances though, he said.

"People can't relate to those who were arrested," he said. "Hauling 20 or 30 people in front of a judge and jailing them doesn't explain anything."

The university should explain exactly what actions are illegal and result in punishment, he said.

"No one has ever come out and said those simple words," he said.

For now though, Charran must deal with the repercussions of last year's disturbance.

He has not been discouraged by the interruption in his education and plans to reapply to the university following his suspension, with a goal of completing his music degree and becoming a music educator.

"Once I set my sights on something, I plan on finishing it," he said.