Michigan State Reports More Than 450 Sexual Misconduct Complaints Last Year
EAST LANSING (WWJ/AP) - Michigan State University says its Office for Institutional Equity received more than 450 relationship violence and sexual misconduct complaints during the last academic year.
The office and the Title IX Office on Thursday released the school's first such report on complaints, findings and investigations. The Office for Institutional Equity was created in 2015 and handles discrimination and sexual assault investigations.
From Aug. 16, 2015 to Aug. 15, 2016, there were 461 incidents reported under MSU's Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct Policy, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, relationship violence and stalking.
Of the 461 reports, 66 were formally investigated.
Most of those not formally investigated were because the complainant either didn't wish to move forward or wouldn't follow-up. For the previous academic year, there were 201 estimated incidents.
"Although we have made substantial progress in the timeliness of our investigation and adjudication processes, there is still more work to be done," said Jessica Norris, Title IX Coordinator, in the report. "As we head in to the 2016-2017 academic year, the Office of Institutional Equity has revised internal procedures and developed systems to increase the efficiency of OIE case management."
"...Efforts will continue to expand education and engagement opportunities on this important topic," Norris said.
This all comes after in the U.S. Education Department said, in 2014, that Michigan State was among dozens of schools nationwide that it was investigating for the way they handle sexual abuse allegations.
Read more in the report, online at this link.
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