New policy for sexual assault

More than four months after it decided to strike the category of sexual assault from the student-run honor system, the University is still adapting to the change.

On Aug. 1, the University officially implemented changes to the way it handles cases of sexual assault in an effort to make resources more accessible to students.

Cases of sexual assault were formerly handled by the Honor Court. But as a result of those changes, they will now be under the jurisdiction of the Student Grievance Committee, said Dean of Students Jonathan Sauls.

Sauls said he hopes students will feel more comfortable bringing a case to the committee.

“Hopefully, this will entice anyone who would be reluctant just to come forward to a student committee,” said Jon McCay, last year’s student attorney general.

The committee consists of students, faculty and staff, and it will expand if needed, Sauls said.

Student Attorney General Amanda Claire Grayson said it was very difficult for the Honor Court to commit to handling sexual assault cases because students lacked the necessary training.

“It’s inherently more difficult for students themselves to be the ones hearing those cases,” she said.

Sauls said the University is making a stronger commitment to education and providing resources to all students about sexual assault.

He said the University is currently recruiting a deputy Title IX coordinator for the chancellor’s office. The coordinator will assist students who come forward with complaints.

“We don’t want (the policy) to be too complex or too cumbersome because it’s less attractive for students to utilize,” Sauls said.

He said procedural guidelines for reporting harassment were also added to UNC’s website in a format that is easier for students to understand.

“Making more resources available to both victims and the accused is a positive step,” McCay said.

Changes to the sexual assault policy stemmed from student discussion about the unfairness of the former policy, as well as a “Dear Colleague” letter issued by the U.S. Department of Education year. It outlined certain reforms for federally funded campuses to adopt.

“The University didn’t really have a choice,” McCay said.

Under these guidelines, some universities are working to ensure students know about disciplinary options, counseling and medical services available to them, Grayson said.

“We recognized pretty early we couldn’t achieve (reform) just by tweaking,” Sauls said.

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