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Simon: Feds focusing on three sexual assault cases

March 11, 2014

Two of those investigations are from “a while ago,” she said.

Although Simon would not comment on specific details of the cases, she said all of the investigations under review were investigated at the time they occurred and were handled in a timely manner.

University spokesman Jason Cody previously told The State News the sexual assault investigation was related to one case that took place in August 2010 in Wonders Hall.

The description of the assault closely matches an alleged sexual assault involving two MSU basketball players, but university officials have neither confirmed nor denied the correlation.

Specific details on the other two cases have not been publicly released.

As far as how long the Office for Civil Rights, or OCR, would be investigating MSU and the policies, Simon said there were no set time limits on how long the investigation will continue.

Simon claims the university has been transparent in the review process, noting that Title IX Coordinator Paulette Granberry Russell gave a presentation to academic governance committees in the fall notifying staff of “policy changes.”

Simon said she would not comment on whether or not MSU was made aware of the investigation in September when the presentation was given, or when the investigations were filed.

“We are notified by OCR process any time an individual case is given to the OCR,” she said. “That’s different than the review that occurred this last week.”

Simon also mentioned the letter sent out to the MSU community by Granberry Russell on Feb. 21. The letter notified students of OCR representatives coming to campus to hold office hours for students.

“I think it would be an incorrect inference to believe that this is the only time individual cases have been reviewed,” she said. “That would be an incorrect inference from the letter."

Editor's note: This article has been clarified to reflect the nature of the three Title IX complaints.

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