[EDEQUITY] Columbia U's Rape Policy Safety

From: Linda Purrington (lpurring@earthlink.net)
Date: Fri Dec 08 2000 - 15:13:17 EST


Columbia's New Sex Assault Policy Stirs Critics
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By Mashadi Matabane - WEnews correspondent

NEW YORK (WOMENSENEWS)--Columbia University, spurred by student
criticism, changed dramatically its method of dealing with student sexual
misconduct for this school year,....

Critics Say Policy Does Not Protect Rights of Accused Persons
Critics, both men and women, argue that, however legitimate the concern
is over how complaints were handled, the new, less legalistic process
sacrifices the rights of the accused. The new policy does not require the
accused
to be present to hear the testimony of a complainant's witnesses at the
disciplinary hearings, does not permit the accused to cross-examine
witnesses at the hearing and does not permit the accused to be represented
by an
attorney at the hearing or for an appeal....

New Policy Eliminates Gatekeepers, Ensures a Hearing...
Formerly, Women Were Intimidated, Degraded by Process...
Nationally, it is widely reported that about one in four women students
is raped or sexually assaulted.......
"Universities must have a response procedure in place for sexual
assault," SAFER's Richardson said. "You can't wait three years for a
(criminal)
case to draw out. Students go to class together. Students live next door to
each
other." Mashadi Matabane is a New York-based writer.

For further information, visit:

Students Active for Ending Rape (SAFER): -
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/safer/

SAFER's response to the controversy: -
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/safer/backlash/

Foundation for Individual Rights in Education: - http://www.thefire.org/

Feminists for Free Expression: - http://www.ffeusa.org/

Columbia's old sexual misconduct policy and procedure: -
http://www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/vpaa/eoaa/docs/sexmispol.html

Columbia's revised sexual misconduct policy and procedure: -
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/sexualmisconduct/policy.html

National Center for Victims of Crime: - http://www.ncvc.org/

Linda Purrington <lpurring@earthlink.net>



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