Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

Rather than acquire the skills for appropriate civil rights complaint investigations, they are just punting to the police.  I think that will place them in a difficult spot in terms of Title IX compliance, if the police cannot distinguish criminal investigations from gender discrimination allegations.  Few colleges do this, and for good reason. 

 

Regards,
Brett A. Sokolow
Brett A. Sokolow, J.D.
Attorney-At-Law


"Best Practices for Campus Health and Safety"

Managing Partner
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Brett Blogs! at www.ncherm.org

Executive Director, The National Behavioral Intervention Team Association (www.nabita.org)

NCHERM serves as counsel/advisor to 19 campuses, including:

Special Counsel to the Dean of Students, Dominican University (IL)
Special Counsel for Student Conduct Issues, Warren Wilson College
Special Advisor to the University of Texas, San Antonio
Special Counsel, Concordia University (TX)
Special Counsel, Northern Virginia Community College
Special Counsel, Southwestern Michigan College
Special Counsel, the Community College of Allegheny County
Special Advisor, Vassar College
Special Advisor, Henry Ford Community College
Special Counsel, Bridgepoint Education
Special Counsel, Milwaukee Area Technical College

 

In a message dated 3/2/2011 6:35:23 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, writes:

hello all...

 

I learned today that our campus is planning to put a policy in place that sexual assault survivors who report to judicial affairs will also be required to report to the police. The reasoning is that judicial affairs doesn’t have the ability to fully investigate sexual assault complaints (e.g., they can’t do pretext phone calls) and they want to use campus police as the investigative body.

 

I am wondering if anyone has feedback about how this is handled on your campus. Does judicial affairs handle the investigating on campus for reports they receive? Do you have a separate investigator that acts in this role for your campus? Does anyone require police involvement to report to judicial affairs? If so, does your campus also require police involvement for other conduct issues or complaints (not related to sexual assault)?

 

We are feeling concerned about the impact that this might have for survivors who wish to file a complaint on campus... but dont necessarily want to involve police. Any feedback would be great!

 

thanks...

m. 

Monica Collins

Assistant Director for Prevention and Education Programs

& Victim Advocate

Women and Gender Advocacy Center

Colorado State University

112 Student Services

970-491-6384

www.wgac.colostate.edu

 

"The truth is on the side of the oppressed" -MX