Friday, March 29, 2024

MSU outlines plans to respond to findings of sexual assault case mishandling

<p>Hannah Administration Building on Aug. 29, 2015. Courtney Kendler/The State News</p>

Hannah Administration Building on Aug. 29, 2015. Courtney Kendler/The State News

Photo by Courtney Kendler | The State News

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UPDATED: Wednesday at 6:13 p.m.

Jessica Kane, a graduate student and a volunteer with the MSU Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention team, wrote in an email that the ruling wouldn't affect the day to day work of the organization, it will hopefully encourage more people to report their cases to the university.

"I hope that the university investigations will happen more quickly now that an official body has found that MSU took too long to respond to allegations of sexual assault," Kane wrote. "Sexual assault is a notoriously underreported crime, in part because survivors often feel that they will not be believed, taken seriously, or treated well by authorities." 

Although MSU police's recently organized Special Victims Unit was mentioned positively by members of the administration during the conference call as one of MSU's anti-sexual assault programs and initiatives, Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said so far the ruling has not affected MSU police in terms of procedure changes. 


Following the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights investigation of three sexual assault cases, the OCR has found that of the three two were mishandled, and the third case has been closed. 

The university held a media phone conference to explain and take questions surrounding the investigation, at which the director of the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives, Paulette Granberry Russell, President Lou Anna K. Simon, and Deputy General Counsel Kristine Zayko spoke about the investigation. 

Following the findings, MSU must comply to and agree to the OCR's various terms through OCR's Resolution Agreement. 

By Sept. 15 MSU has to release a public anti-harassment statement to the university at large, and must follow-up with the OCR to ensure a majority of students are aware of the statement.

Members of the university panel also discussed different initiatives moving forward, including the new Office of Institutional Inequity, which began last spring, and will handle investigations previously handled by the Office of Inclusion.

Fully staffed, the new office will have six investigators and a director, Zayko said, although MSU spokesperson Jason Cody said last week a director had yet to be hired.

In addition, by mid-September the Sexual Assault Climate survey should be released.

The administration has 60 days to "develop and submit to OCR for its review a procedure to document each incident or complaint," according to  an MSU statement, although Zayko said some of the deadlines are more like guidelines.

"This is a big problem and we need to be part of the solution," Simon said.

Certain solutions in the future to be implemented include increased outreach to fraternities and possibly punishing students who fail to complete the online learning program. 

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