Pubdate: Thu, 16 Mar 2006 Source: Buchtelite, The (U of Akron, OH Edu) Copyright: 2006 The Buchtelite Contact: http://www.buchtelite.com/about/letters.shtml Website: http://www.buchtelite.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4117 Author: Kristin Snowberger, Opinion & Chief Copy Editor Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) STUDENT'S LIFE WENT AWRY Friends Remember Charles Plinton As Dynamic, Outgoing, Bright What a loss. That is all Charles Plinton's former adviser can say about his death. Nancy Kenner is an academic adviser at Lincoln University, the historically black college where Plinton earned his bachelor's degree. The majority of students and faculty at the University of Akron, though, did not know Plinton. The 25-year-old graduate student was the focus of a series of articles that ran in the Akron Beacon Journal this week. Plinton came to UA in 2003 to pursue his master's degree in public administration. He was offered a full scholarship. Several people worked to recruit Plinton. One was Raymond Cox, the chair of the department of public administration, who actively sought to bring Plinton to Akron. After all, he was recommended by Lincoln University professor Terrance Johnson. Johnson was Plinton's mentor. Cox was Johnson's mentor. When Johnson recommends someone, Cox listens. "If Terrance mentions them, I know they're going to be a good student," he said. "Terrance always sends me his best students." The president of the Akron city council, Marco Sommerville, also persuaded Plinton to relocate to Akron. Sommerville's daughter Margo was Plinton's classmate at Lincoln. The two continued their academic careers together as graduate students at UA. "He was just so excited to come here," Margo said. "He came here to pursue his dream." Near the end of Plinton's second semester in March 2004, he was arrested and accused of drug trafficking for allegedly selling marijuana to a confidential informant who had been placed in his residence hall. He declared his innocence and a number of people came to his defense. Margo Sommerville was one of them. "Once they put those charges on Charles, I knew that was not him," she said. "It just wasn't in his character." In August 2004, he was acquitted. Shortly thereafter, however, the same case was heard in a tribunal in conjunction with the Office of Student Judicial Affairs. There, he was found "responsible" and suspended. He committed suicide on Dec. 12. Sommerville still has a hard time coming to terms with what has occurred. "It's so sad because I know how much potential he had." Plinton is remembered fondly from his undergraduate career at Lincoln. He worked as a peer adviser and assistant in Kenner's office for a year and a half. She reminisced about coining the nickname "Good 'n' Plenty" for the young man she described as a "dynamic, wonderful human being." "He was very outgoing, always here on time, always dependable, never complained," she said. "He was a very likable guy, a very personable young man, very respectful." Kenner said she never picked up on anything negative about Plinton, especially any type of drug use. She believes UA's actions were a "rush to judgment." "He was a clean person, all the way around," she said, adding, "He was a very attractive person, even behavior-wise." Kenner regrets how the situation burdened Plinton to the point where he felt he had no other choice but to take his life. She also, though, expressed regret for the legacy left unfulfilled. "Things went awry for him," she said. "He was ready to go out and make his mark on the world and he got lost."