So I trust everyone had a good time last night. We at The Diamondback certainly did, working until 4 a.m. on our respective stories.

It occurred to me that people may have forgotten what actually happens to students who participate in riots — the last one was in 2006 after the women’s national championship game, which is before this senior class even came to the university. If you need a refresher and you either weren’t downtown last night or don’t remember much from last night, here’s some things you should know:

They look ready for a pinata party ...

> They come in a Tank: When the county and university forces gear up for a potential riot, they make sure to pack their guys into what basically is an armored bus. Last night, the “tank” moved in and deployed units to “disperse” students who reportedly had set fire to a tree near Montgomery Hall. If you see it coming, you should probably start moving in the opposite direction. It doesn’t have a cannon, just a whole lot of officers inside with riot shields and nightsticks.

> They don’t have “rubber” bullets, but they have something that stings: When I asked University Police spokesman Paul Dillon last night if riot-control units were using rubber bullets, he corrected me: “We have FN 303s.” It’s known as the “less lethal launcher,” and it’s what the Army uses to get people to stop throwing stones at them. It appears from this video to be pneumatically powered, sort of like a paintball gun, but it takes people out. I wouldn’t want anything called “less lethal” pointed at my body.

>Tear gas is not fun: How do we know police used tear gas last night to disperse the crowd? At least four of our staff members got hit with the stuff, and they’ll be the first to tell you it sucks. There were reports last night of people who had their eyes swelled shut, and as you can see from this video of a Canadian protest, it also causes nausea. What should you do if you get sprayed in the face? Our staff recommends rinsing the afflicted area with milk to help neutralize the chemicals in the gas. Otherwise, you’re in for a long night.

> They can call in the cavalry: Some students were surprised to see officers on horseback — don’t be. University Police and Prince George’s County Police had teamed up with Park Police to get in mounted officers. Dillon observed that the horses were pretty effective at getting people to move away, and as we all know from Braveheart, it’s pretty hard to win a battle without cavalry.

> You’re not just going to get arrested: That’s right, you can be kicked out of school. Any students arrested can also be referred to the Office of Student Conduct for university sanctions. Although in the last riot sentencing was relatively light, the administration has warned in the past that any punishment for students involved in a riot would be harsher than last time. That means mom and dad won’t be too happy.

Final Note: For those who got injured in the rioting, if you’re looking into legal action against the cops, be aware that precedent is not on your side. A student injured in a Duke riot in 2005 sued county police officers after he said he was shot with what he claimed was an FN 303 round near his eye, but he lost the case. The message police drew from that was if a student is in a crowd of rioters, they’re part of the riot — even if they are trying to help other students or covering the event for student media. Maybe you’ll have more luck, though.

At this university, reports of sexual assault have dropped in recent years: From 1998 to 2003, there were 30 reported rapes at the university. In the past five years, that number has dipped to about four.

However, in my time as a crime reporter, I’ve learned several factors affect sexual assault reportage. For example, some victims have difficulty going to authorities to point out their attacker, so many assaults could theoretically go unreported. Also, some victims might rather go to the University Health Center or an advocacy group, in which case the rape may never be reported to police.

These reasons and more were pointed out by the Center for Public Integrity in a December article about the barriers to reporting sexual assault. However, the center has revealed something incredibly shocking in their latest report which came out yesterday: Even those who do identify their attackers don’t always get justice.

After a survey of university health professionals and examining data about sexual assault cases at major universities, the report says many assailants, even after being found guilty, receive a slap on the wrist. The story details the case of a victim at Indiana University (above video) who learned that the man who raped her as she lulled in and out of consciousness would be suspended for a summer semester in which he was unlikely to attend school.

Unfortunately, her story is not uncommon at all: The center interviewed 33 victims, and although in more than half the cases the suspect was found culpable by a school judiciary, only four assailants were expelled — two of them were already repeat offenders. In addition, the victims of assailants who stayed in school were prone to drop out or transfer in the fear that they would have to see their attacker again around the campus.

Typically, it’s up to a journalist to be objective, but as a human being, I think it’s safe to say this problem needs correcting.

Quick Hits

> Two in-state colleges have named new university presidents this week. The Baltimore Sun reports that Jay Perman, who was the dean of the University of Kentucky’s medical school, will be taking over the University of Maryland, Baltimore. In the more eastern part of the state, St. Mary’s College of Maryland has announced Joseph Urgo, who was a vice president of Hamilton College in New York, will be the bayside school’s new president, according to The Washington Post. Let’s hope this university is the next in line to get a new one — Dan Mote is only around until Aug. 31.

> The fallout from the ill-fated and misguided “Compton Cookout” continues. At the University of California, San Diego, the school held a teach-in session on stereotyping in an effort to reach out to black students after a UCSD fraternity held a part mocking Black History month. But most students walked out in the middle of the session to hold a vocal protest of university attitudes toward one of the schools most obvious minorities, according to the Los Angeles Times.