On Sept. 1 a woman unaffiliated with SMU reported a sexual assault on campus.
The recent report raises questions about President R. Gerald Turner’s Sexual Assault Task Force that was formed in September 2012 to address the several sexual assaults that were reported on SMU’s campus last year. The Task Force has now disbanded after giving the university 41 recommendations on how to solve the problem, which have now been enacted. The Task Force board took the entire summer to ensure that these recommendations would be implemented at the start of school.
“If a sexual assault does occur, we need to ensure that the person reporting it gets the help they need and feels comfortable to come forward and report it,” said Lori White, Vice President for Student Affairs.
Although the woman was not an SMU student, SMU’s student code allows anyone to make a complaint if they believe that an SMU student has violated the code of conduct. This can range from a noise complaint to a sexual assault.
Under Title IX requirements, universities all across the country must do an investigation if an assault has been reported on their campus. That is where SMU’s internal grievance, or otherwise known as the conduct review board, comes into play.
A student who reports a sexual assault on campus can choose to go forward with the criminal process, SMU’s internal grievance process, both or neither. The criminal process is separate and distinct from the university and determines if someone is guilty of a crime. The conduct review board determines if SMU wants that student to continue to be a part of the university community. The highest punishment from the conduct review board is expulsion.
In this recent report, the woman who reported the assault this past weekend has to make a choice about which process she would like to go forward with. Nothing about this recent report will alter the recommendations implemented by the Task Force.
White explained that through educating the community on sexual assaults, there may be an uptick of reports throughout the school year. If victims do not report the incident, no one knows that it happened.
“It is important that we all take responsibility for being a strong community and that we take personal responsibility for our actions,” White said. “It is going to take all of us, particularly the students, to step up to the plate and educate themselves.”
RESOURCES
Report a Sexual Assault to:
SMU Police
214-768-3333
Title IX Coordinator
214-768-3601
Dean of Student Life Office
214-768-4564
SMU Women’s Center
214-768-4792
*These resources will protect students’ privacy and confidentiality to the greatest extent possible, but are required to report sexual assaults to SMU’s Title IX Coordinator and to SMU Police
SMU Confidential:
Psychological Services for Women and Gender Issues
214-768-4795 (available 24/7)
SMU Counseling and Psychiatric Services
214-768-2277 (available 24/7)
SMU Chaplain’s Office
214-768-4502
Community Confidential:
The Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center
972-641-7273 (24-hour hotline)
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Center
214-345-6203
For more information please visit:
smu.edu/LiveResponsibility.
