PHILADELPHIA — A junior at the University of Pennsylvania faces punishment from the school for posting photos he took of two naked students who could be seen through a dorm window, according to confidential memos obtained by a student newspaper.

The unnamed engineering student faces sexual harassment and other charges from the university for electronically publishing pictures of the couple on his Web site, The Daily Pennsylvanian reported Wednesday.

The photographs taken earlier this fall were widely circulated via e-mail on campus and appeared on at least one other Internet site.

By featuring the pictures on his personal Web site hosted through the school’s server, the photographer violated the school’s code of student conduct, sexual harassment policy and policy on acceptable uses of electronic resources, the university said in the memos.

But a graduate student who is advising the photographer in the disciplinary process said the worst thing the student could be guilty of is poor taste.

“If somebody chooses to make a public spectacle of themselves, then they get what goes with that,” Andrew Geier told the school newspaper.

Since the pair was visible in the window, Geier said, the photos were taken in public and are completely legal.

Geier did not immediately return a telephone message left by The Associated Press on Wednesday.

A professor at the prestigious university agreed with Geier.

“The student took a photograph of a public event. That is protected expression,” said professor Alan Charles Kors.

Penn spokeswoman Lori Doyle said Wednesday that she could not discuss the case.

“The disciplinary process is supposed to be completely confidential,” Doyle said. “We’re hopeful that this matter can be resolved quickly and satisfactorily between all parties involved.”

Penn will hold a hearing in this matter on Thursday.