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ASMSU to lobby against Safe Campus Act

February 1, 2016

The Associated Students of Michigan State University will join forces with student associations from other Big Ten Schools to lobby against the Safe Campus Act. The act was originally introduced in July 2015 as an attempt to protect victims of sexual assault on college campuses, but has come under fire in recent months for certain controversial provisions.

“It makes a well-intentioned shot at addressing sexual assault on college campuses, because it really is evident at this point that something needs to be done,” vice president for governmental affairs Bryn Williams said. “(But) the Safe Campus Act, while well intentioned, is a truly horrendous piece of legislation.”

While the bill adds amnesty for witnesses and victims of sexual assault who violated sections of the student code, it also prevents campuses from hearing sexual assault cases unless the case has also been reported to law enforcement. Intended as a protection for the due process rights of accused students, manybelieve the provision will be harmful to survivors.

“There are many instances in which a sexual assault survivor would rather pursue university adjudication instead of going through the criminal justice system,” Williams said. “Those that wanted to handle it within the university would not be able to have any sort of punitive or other such action taken.”

Many fraternity and sorority organizations initially supported the legislation, but began to withdraw as awareness of the controversial provisions spread. The National Panhellenic Conference and the North American Interfraternity Conference, national coalitions of 26 sorority and 73 fraternity organizations, respectively, withdrew support from the bill in November 2015.

ASMSU initially voted to oppose the Safe Campus Act in December 2015, and is now joined by other Big Ten student organizations in voicing their disapproval. Association of Big Ten Students takes an annual lobbying trip to Congress and plan to make their opposition part of their agenda in Washington D.C.

“We will be lobbying congress on behalf of all of the Big Ten schools against the Safe Campus Act, rather than on behalf of only MSU,” ASMSU president Domonique Clemons said. 

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