[ASTalumna06]

USC admits to ‘troubling delay’ in warning about fraternity drugging, sex assault reports

https://www.latimes.com/california/s...ssault-charges

USC acknowledged Friday a “troubling delay” in warning the campus community about allegations of drugging and sexual assault by a fraternity last month as a rare faculty protest added to mounting criticism about the university’s handling of the crisis.

In a message to the campus community Friday night, USC President Carol Folt said that a university confidential reporting program received five to seven disclosures of possible drugging and possible sexual assault at a fraternity in late September. The information, however, was not shared with the campus community until Oct. 20, when the Department of Public Safety posted an alert that the university had received a report of sexual assault and reports of drugs being placed into drinks at the Sigma Nu fraternity house, “leading to possible drug-facilitated sexual assaults.”

Six students reported that the alleged drugging and assault took place at Sigma Nu on Sept. 24 and one student reported she was drugged Sept. 27 at an unknown location, according to the department’s daily crime log posted Oct. 21. The university subsequently announced it had suspended the fraternity.
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USC said the confidential campus reporting service, without revealing student identities, shared a general summary of their allegations about Sigma Nu with university safety, health, student affairs and crisis intervention officials on Sept. 30.

“We are still investigating what occurred next, but there was clearly uncertainty regarding how to assess and process the information, and it was not immediately escalated” to other authorities, the university said in FAQs posted Friday night. The groups shared the information with the Title IX office and scheduled a meeting Oct. 18 to discuss the situation.

But during this time span another USC student reported she was sexually assaulted at the fraternity on Oct. 16.
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Criticism over USC’s handling of the crisis continued to swell Friday, after the allegations sparked protests by a wide swath of campus groups. In a demonstration organized by faculty in the Gender Studies Department and members of Concerned Faculty of USC, protesters congregated Friday in front of the Bovard Administration Building across from Alumni Park where homecoming weekend check-in had begun. Dozens of faculty and staff were joined by students, calling on the administration to make changes in the wake of the allegations against Sigma Nu.

For some faculty, the allegations were the latest cause for concern and frustration with an administration they believe has been complacent in allowing for bad behavior.