The University detailed its sexual assault policy and potential changes in two statements by top officials released yesterday and posted to the University's Web page.
The statements from President John T. Casteen, III and Patricia Lampkin, vice president of student affairs, both referred to recent concerns expressed within the University community about the school's policy toward reported incidents of sexual assault.
The statements also suggested changes to the University's policy prohibiting sexual assault, as well as changes to programs provided to aid victims of sexual assault.
Casteen's statement focused on the protection of sexual assault victims.
"My immediate concern in this letter has to do with the rights and protections that belong to students who have been victimized by other students," the statement said.
Casteen also said he would "consider the merits of mandatory expulsion" if other penalties seemed insufficient after "reasoned discussion."
Casteen urged the University community to become involved with the potential reform process.
"Accept your share of the responsibility, and let us work together to address a problem that belongs to each of us," the statement read.
Susan Russell, whose daughter reported being sexually assaulted at the University last spring, said Casteen skirted the true issue in his statement.
"I'm very happy to see that he's finally made a statement, but there's not much substance to what he has said," Russell said.
She said the statements focus on preventing assault at the expense of examining the University's process for dealing with sexual assaults that have already occurred.
Russell urged the administration to listen more closely to the numerous voices from the student body asking for stronger intolerance of rape. Hundreds of students staged a silent demonstration on central Grounds last week in opposition to the University's sexual assault policy.
Lampkin's adjoining statement outlined the University's current policies and procedures concerning sexual assault and provided a list of actions the University is currently taking to change and improve its sexual assault procedures and resources.
Potential changes include more thorough training for the Sexual Assault Board, adding "Sexual Misconduct" as a separate offense, streamlining sexual assault procedures, and improving communications between survivors and support programs.
University administration officials could not be reached for comment yesterday.
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