In response to recent criticism of the University's sexual assault policy, the University administration released a preliminary revision of the policy. In a Jan. 13 e-mail, Vice President for Student Affairs Pat Lampkin urged students to read the revised sexual assault procedures.
One of the most common complaints leveled at the University's sexual assault policies and procedures involve the tight confidentiality with which the adjudication and mediation processes operated.
Lampkin said the new document, entitled "Procedures for Cases of Sexual Assault," should address this concern.
"The procedures are written to both maintain the confidentiality and disclosure required by law, as well as providing the necessary protections for victims of sexual assault and the larger community," Lampkin said.
She added that included in the revised policies will be more options for students who want to make their sexual assault case more public.
"We wanted to give full flexibility to the victims," Lampkin said.
More severe sanctions for those convicted of sexual assault have also been hotly advocated by critics of the current system. Lampkin explains that the administration is very serious about sexual assault.
"We are expressing the expectation that in cases of sexual assault, the Sexual Assault Board, [which presides over formal adjudications], will certainly consider expulsion," Lampkin said, adding that the SAB will have to explain any imposed sanction in a written decision.
"The panel will have to explain why they didn't recommend expulsion," she said.
Other members of the University administration who worked to develop the new policies were available for comment as of press time.
Sloane Kuney, Sexual Assault Leadership Council chair, said she thinks that the newly adjusted sexual assault procedures don't encompass several important aspects of properly adjudicating cases of sexual assault.
Kuney said the process is not very victim-friendly, and that the current statute of limitations does not give a victim adequate time to come forward.
"The thought of initiating legal procedure is very intimidating, especially for someone who has to see their attacker everyday," she said.
Kuney also said she finds the lack of language about properly training SAB members to be a major flaw in the newly changed procedures, and expulsion upon being convicted of sexual assault still seems like a vague prospect.
"There is no comment [in the new procedures] about mandatory consideration of expulsion. The guidelines are very loose," she said.
The Sexual Assault Leadership Council is currently working to produce a formal list of suggested changes to the University's sexual assault policies.
The University community is encouraged to e-mail the office of student affairs with comments on the new polices.
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