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

[Holly Rider-Milkovich <>]

Hello all:

I concur wholeheartedly with Karen's thoughtful note that given self-blame, guilt, ambivalence, etc., (and I would add fear of subtle and unsubtle retaliation from their social networks) there may well be an impact on a student's willingness to come forward and share information about their experience if expulsion is the mandatory sanction.  There also may be greater hesitancy from conduct boards to determine a finding of responsibility if the only option then is expulsion; this is a matter that should be addressed by proper training and oversight, but it is difficult to completely counteract the pervasive, immersive victim-blaming culture in which we live and work.

I also have not seen research or evidence that indicates mandatory expulsion does, in fact, lead to fewer incidents of victimization within a student body.  I expect Michigan is not alone in having the experience of separating a student from the institution only to have them continue being present in the community at off-campus parties and social events, living with students and engaging in most of the ways they previously did with the exception of not attending classes or being on the actual campus grounds, or having to answer to campus officials for any of their behavior--criminal or otherwise. I am not sure that the mandatory expulsion approach is going to accomplish its intended goal and may have unintended negative consequences.

HRM

On Wed, Mar 19, 2014 at 8:51 AM, Guttentag, Karen S. <> wrote:

I think Duke does, and I heard Dartmouth just adopted this approach as well. Since Dartmouth’s move is so recent, it’s likely that they’ve collected information about other schools with similar policies.

 

I’m not aware of any data on effectiveness (assuming this would be measured by its deterrent effect). However, given the profound ambivalence about outcome, self-blame, and guilt with which many survivors struggle, a concern I would explore would be the impact this policy has on reporting.

 

Hope this is helpful,

 

Karen S. Guttentag

Associate Dean for Judicial Affairs and Student Life

Middlebury College

Middlebury, VT 05753

phone) 802-443-2024

fax) 802-443-2525

 

 

 

 

From: Jessie Mindlin [mailto:]
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2014 10:39 PM
To:
Subject: know of any schools?

 

Hi all – Do any of your schools (or others you know of) have a policy that requires the expulsion of a student found responsible for sexual assault? Any thoughts on how effective these policies have or have not been? Thanks in advance for any insights you can provide!. - Jessie

 

 

 

 

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  Victim Rights Law Center
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--
Holly M. Rider-Milkovich

Director, Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center

Co-Chair, Abuse Hurts Initiative

University of Michigan

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