The University’s Faculty Council decided to remove the category of sexual assault from the jurisdiction of the student-run Honor Court in the spring.
The change followed a heavy push for reform from students and administrators and was prompted by a shift in federal policy that raised standards for how schools handle sexual misconduct.
As of Aug. 1, sexual assault cases are now handled by the Student Grievance Committee, which consists of students, faculty and staff who will receive relevant training.
In hearing cases of sexual assault, the needs of the victim should be given first priority. Though clearly the Honor Court was not prepared to meet those needs, we can’t yet say whether the Student Grievance Committee will successfully do that.
The University community must therefore keep a critical eye on the implementation of the new policy to ensure victims are treated fairly by this system.
The policy’s implementation must also be done in a transparent manner.
Victims of sexual assault inevitably experience trauma associated with the attack. The decision to pursue legal action — whether with the University or the state — is difficult because it forces the victim to repeatedly recount the traumatic incident, continue to encounter his or her attacker and experience the rejection of the community if the assailant is found not guilty.
But the new committee will still have student representatives , just like in the old system, a concern then, just as it is now.
Knowing they will have to face fellow students who they could later see in classes creates a strong disincentive for victims to come forward.
