Federal Review: MSU Mishandled Sexual Assault Complaints
EAST LANSING, Mich. (WWJ/AP) - A federal government review of Michigan State University's handling of student complaints of sexual harassment has led to changes in the way the university will investigate complaints.
MSU has agreed to a series of steps to improve its response to complaints of sexual assault or harassment against students or staff.
The 21-page agreement released Tuesday settles a review by the federal government. The U.S. Education Department says MSU failed to promptly investigate two complaints by students, although the investigations ultimately were "thorough and equitable."
MSU President Lou Anna Simon says the are constantly making improvements.
"We need to keep focus on this, not because we have a report, but one we need to keep work on until we can together say that our environment is free from this kind of deterrent to learning," said Simon.
"The findings as we interpret them, recognizes the work we have been doing in a persistent and consistent way - to deal with the human cost of this to our institution and society, and to do that in a way reflects the best guidance we received nationally."
MSU says it can't disclose details about the complaints. But it says it created an office last spring to investigate all discrimination complaints, hired more investigators, wrote a new sexual misconduct policy and ordered mandatory training for staff.
President Lou Anna Simon says MSU has been "constantly making improvements."
In December, dozens of students marched around campus and into Michigan State University president Lou Anna Simon's office to deliver 70,000 signatures opposing commencement speaker George Will.
Will, a noted conservative columnist, received backlash because of comments he made about rape and sexual assault. In a published article, Will called into question the notion of a rape culture on college campuses.
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