The bipartisan Safe Campus Act has drawn criticism from sexual-assault activists and some senators for provisions that would allegedly discourage victims from coming forward.
Some students are now standing up against the bill, which would give greater due-process protections to accused students and involve police in reported allegations.
The Daily Texan reports that the UT-Austin student government unanimously approved a resolution against the bill:
The legislation encourages the University to oppose the law, according to Juan Saez, undergraduate studies representative and co-author of the legislation. Saez said University involvement in assault cases is vital to students, and the House Bill would inhibit student reporting and the University’s ability to help. There was no opposition to the [student government] bill on the floor.
Resolution supporters believe the Safe Campus Act is aimed at curbing “false allegations,” which they say the competing Campus Accountability and Safety Act (which provides no new due-process protections) is better equipped to address.
University of California-Berkeley students are also criticizing the Safe Campus Act, The Daily Californian reports. The article emphasizes opposition from students in Greek life, in contrast to support for the bill from their national organizations:
“In theory, it’s meant to increase the abilities of the reporting process,” said Aisling Peterson, a UC Berkeley senior and co-director of Greeks Against Sexual Assault. “However, I definitely have major concerns.” …
“The bill would ultimately discourage survivors from reporting as well as prevent colleges from running investigations until the victim files a police report,” said Marisa McConnell, a leader in the [student government] Sexual Assault Commission, in an email. “(It) goes against Title IX’s requirement to investigate all reports of sexual harassment and assault regardless of outside investigations.”
Read the Texan and Californian stories.
RELATED: Due-process questions stump witnesses at Senate hearing on campus sexual assault
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