A sexual assault occurred in the Living Learning Center on Wednesday April 2, according to an April 9 and April 10 Campus Safety reports. Campus policeman, Cpl. Trevor Brown, took an incident report of the crime on Wednesday April 9. The incident is now undergoing investigation by the University Police Department.

The UPD gave a digital video recording of the incident to the office of Student Development for review.
After turning over copies of the incident report to the Griffon News, Jonathan Kelley, Director of Campus Safety, refused to make further comment on the incident or why there was a week delay between the incident and the initial UPD incident report.

Dr. Judy Grimes, Dean of Student Services, commented on the sensitivity of the situation. “The safety and well-being of students on campus is my highest priority,” Grimes said.

 “We take any incident reports very seriously and follow our code of conduct policies carefully. We always work in consultation with the Housing Staff, associate dean of Student Development, who is our judicial officer, University Police and others who may be involved. We are unable under FERPA to comment on any judicial cases.”

According to a statement made by the alleged victim, on Wednesday, April 2, two male students, pushed their way into a her room and made several lewd comments to her. When told to leave, the two men tore several pictures off of the door of the female student and returned to their room. The woman then went to the men’s room to retrieve her belongings. In the hallway the two male students alleg­edly grabbed her and one of them pinned her arms behind her head. The victim said they “touched her on her vaginal area.”

After getting away from the two assailants, the victim was followed back to her room, where she told them that she had to change her clothes. The men, according to her statement, came into her room and shut out the lights and told her to “go ahead.”

Another female student then got involved and helped clear the male students out of the room. The woman who claimed she was fondled then reported the incident to R.A. Housing staff spoke with the victim and a No Contact order was put into effect against the male students. The victim did not want to press charges.
An April 14 UPD report indicated a copy of the video footage was requested by Student Development for judicial action.

The university has the ability to enact a punishment for the students involved ranging from a warning to expulsion for violations of the universities rules and regulation. Two violations of those rules involve; assaulting or threatening to assault any person, to engage in any unwelcome physical contact with any person, to make unwelcome advances, or to engage in conduct, which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person. Also to engage in lewd, indecent or obscene conduct or expression or to repeat, propose or request such conduct or expression, after being asked to stop.

The dean of Student Development may old an informal disposition. After that, if needed, a formal disciplinary hearing may be held.