Finished in December, finally posted today by UO after pressure from the Senate. This is a thorough report on policies and procedures. The lawyer starts by noting he did not review how any actual incidents were handled.
No significant problems are reported: http://vpsa.uoregon.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Independent-Review-Sexual-Violence-Policies-and-Procedures.pdf
The current process for reporting and follow up of reports of sexual assault is here: http://aaeo.uoregon.edu/sites/aaeo.uoregon.edu/files/Sexual%20Assault%20Protocols%20Flowchart%20February%202013.pdf
The comprehensive brochure is here: http://vpsa.uoregon.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Help4Students_Print.pdf
Thanks to the U of Senate for getting Robin Holmes to (finally) release the external review of sexual harassment/assault policies. Some comments:
1. The author states that he was tasked to review U of O practices, especially their compliance with current Title IX requirements.
Every recent Title IX statement has stressed the importance of educating the student body on these issues, where to report, etc. Without it, all the other procedures etc. are pretty meaningless.
Yet under section (C)–Training of Students–Groves states “I did not review any programs specifically directed to the general student body”. Perhaps that’s because there aren’t any. Based on his “interviews”, he says, it “appears” that freshman are “encouraged” to watch “a play” on sexual assault and alcohol, and there seem to be other theatrical ventures around that deal with the issue. He notes that these programs reach “a very small audience”. He makes no recommendations for future action.
2. He notes (section (K)) the insistence in all recent Title IX statements that universities conduct annual climate assessments, especially on how informed students are. He does not comment on the fact that the U of O has never conducted such an assessment, despite repeated requests by faculty that it do so. I am not aware of any plans to do so in the future.
3. As far as we know, Groves did not speak to anyone involved with these issues over the years, other than the administrators in charge (and a few “student activists”). He mainly spent time meandering around the website, on the assumption, presumably, that there is a strong relation between websites and reality.
4. Questions were raised from the start about why Allen Groves was chosen to do this. His own school, U of Virginia, has been under investigation/attack since 2011 for its flawed practices in this area. It is one of the universities just cited for being under federal investigation.
There is an excellent sexual assault awareness group protesting U Va practices: uvasexualassaultcoalition.wordpress.com
5. Groves’ general conclusion is that the U of O is doing a great job.
A propos the U of O using theater to educate around sexual violence:
Maybe we should use plays to educate students around all issues of deep importance. We could do “Sound of Music” to teach them about Nazism. “110 in the Shade” to teach about global warming.
“Grease” to teach them driver safety.