Two students of Carnegie Mellon University have been handed out community service sentences for dressing half naked as a pope and astronaut at a campus annual parade

Katherine B. O'Connor, a 19-year-old, has agreed to 80 hours of community service after criminal charges were slapped against her for dressing up as a half naked pope with her pubic hair shaved in the shape of the cross.

In exchange for the plea, charges of indecent exposure will be withdrawn.

Robb S. Godshaw, 22, who went as a naked astronaut at the same parade reached a similar agreement. He walked on a giant wheel textured like the moon before he took off his clothes.

"While I recognize that many found the students' activities deeply offensive, the university upholds their right to create works of art and express their ideas," President Jared L. Cohon said. "But, public nudity is a violation of the law and subject to appropriate action."

The College of Fine Arts' 'Annual Anti-Gravity Downhill Derby' parade was held on April 18. After the nudity incidents were reported to the police, Pittsburgh Bishop David A. Zubik criticized O'Connor's outfit and demanded that the university take necessary action.

"I think we all know that when we're growing up we do stupid things but to cross over the line in this instance shouldn't happen with anybody," Zubik said. The National Catholic League called for O'Connor's immediate suspension citing how CMU recently suspended fraternity members for taking sexual pictures and emailing them.

Following the incident, Cohon wrote a letter of apology to the CMU community.

Vic Walczak, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, said O'Connor could have defended her actions using the First Amendment Act.

"One of the things that are troubling about this is the calls for punishment because she offended the leader of a religious group," Walczak said. "Free speech means nobody is above criticism, from the president to the pope."

Jon Pushinsky, who represented Ms. O'Connor on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union said that if the case had gone to trial, and the students had been convicted on second-degree misdemeanor charges, they might have been forced to register as sex offenders in certain states.

"I'm pleased that they are not going to face the risk of having a conviction at their young age for doing something that they believed was going to be permitted by the program that was operated by CMU," Pushinsky said.