<p>As you make your final college decisions, consider whether Brown is a safe and appropriate environment for your daughters and sons. How would you feel if this happened to your daughter or son?</p>
<p><a href=“Brown University Will Allow Rapist Who Choked His Victim Back On Campus | HuffPost Communities”>http://huff.to/1iOCAHM</a></p>
<p>Vote with your attendance decision. It is the only thing they understand.</p>
<p>Let’s keep in mind that the alleged rapist has not been charged with any crimes, and the only evidence against him is the word of the girl, which may or may not be true. But there have been a whole slew of cases in the news recently of people pretending to be raped to get back at people. What more do you want them to do? Permanently expel every student accused of anything. It’s a sad situation either way, but I don’t see what more could be done. </p>
<p>They put him on probation while they tried to figure this out, and then gave him a year’s suspension. If he is charged and convicted, then sure. I would support dropping him in that case. But this article is very reductive and one-sided.</p>
<p>I sincerely hope you’re kidding. Rape culture is anything but a problem unique to Brown, it’s a big issue nowadays at virtually every college (from Harvard to Stanford to bob jones). If anything, Brown and Brown students are much more active in protesting and challenging rape culture compared to most other places ( including most places ranked higher in us news, if you care about that junk). I’m not trying to say Brown is a perfect place, but If you think that for some reason rape is uniquely prevalent at brown relative to other places then you are severely misinformed. </p>
<p>“The board recommended a two-year suspension from school for the attacker. That would have allowed Sclove to finish her studies without her assailant on campus. But J. Allen Ward, Brown’s senior associate dean of student life, reduced the sentence to a one-year suspension.”</p>
<p>According to this article, the defendant was found guilty of 4 violations and the Board did the right thing in its decision. The Administration on the other hand over rode that decision and now the victim will probably leave campus when this person returns. </p>
<p>When are Universities going to take this seriously and stop sending out rape apologists to explain that it is okay because it happens everywhere?</p>
<p>What if your son or daughter were his next victim? How would you feel then? </p>
<p>How can the U find him guilty, receive a Board recommendation for a 2 year suspension and then reduce it? </p>
<p>Given this outcome how can any parent feel comfortable that rape is not tolerated at Brown? That is ultimately the key question. </p>
<p>If Brown can’t get parents comfortable that rape is not tolerated, then how can parents enroll their children?</p>
<p>You really shouldn’t use words like defendant in this context. There was never a criminal case or even a civil case. This was a group of people (students and faculty) at Brown who got together and said “We don’t know for sure if he did it or not. But we think he probably did and recommend that he leave until this girl graduates to avoid more trouble for everyone.”</p>
<p>Nobody found him guilty of anything in a court of law. The only evidence against him is what the girl has said. There was no physical evidence that anybody was raped. You speak of victims, but once again, we don’t know that he did it. Even though this wasn’t brought to trial and the police haven’t pressed charges, it’s proabably a good idea for Brown to adopt an innocent until-proven-guilty approach, just in case he is innocent. We’ll never know if he did it or not. The only two people who do know are telling different stories. </p>
<p>They did punish him even still though, but I don’t think the administration was looking forward to his lawsuit against the school for kicking him out with no evidence, so they shortened his suspension. It all sounds pretty political. But unless there’s dna proof that he raped her or at least signs of a struggle that could point to him, I ask again what more they could have done? Is it supposed to be school policy to expel everyone that gets accused of anything?</p>
<p>It’s a terrible situation no matter what the truth is, but your complaints are very misguided.</p>
<p>I may be naive, but rape or sexual assault is a crime, a matter for police and courts, not for college administration. Statistics tell us that up to 20% of woman on college campuses will be sexually assaulted with a mere 5% reported to law enforcement (1/8 the reporting rate of off campus attacks) </p>
<p>This is in no way a problem exclusive to Brown. It is time for us, as parents, and our daughters who may become victims to change the culture. Sexual assault is a crime, be aware of it, report it, prosecute it. That may be the only way to truly change the “rape culture.”</p>
<p>It does not matter whether it is a court of law in my opinion. This is the process at Brown. If you are accused cheating, for example, you don’t need to be found guilty in court to be punished. This is the process.</p>
<p>In fact, it is probably better this way. Why not ask them both to take a professionally administered polygraph test? They are very accurate when properly administered, and if he did not do it he can return. They both can be given a choice. </p>
<p>They may be worried about a lawsuit, but what about the one they would get if the student were to reoffend and the University decided to allow him back on campus after finding him guilty previously. How much will that cost in money and reputation? </p>
<p>So I am back to my original question. Given their current behavior, how can parents get comfortable that Brown provides an environment where rape is not tolerated so parents can feel comfortable enrolling their child? </p>
<p>@Much2learn I am sending my daughter to Brown next fall. I can’t ask her to pass up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, only to attend a lesser institution where she would likely be exposed to the same (if not greater) risk. It seems knee-jerk and frankly dumb to not send her. What would you do in my situation?</p>
<p>However, I am very disappointed and disturbed by Brown’s actions. Brown has a process in place to determine student misconduct and through that process they found this particular student to have committed violent sexual assault against a fellow student. He should not be allowed back on campus. Period. End of story. </p>
<p>Don’t send your daughter to Brown. So…what about your son? Can sexual assault not happen against a man as well?</p>
<p>This isn’t just a Brown problem, this is a problem with colleges across the country. I won’t say that sexual assault doesn’t happen here at Brown, but I would suggest that it’s less common here than at many other schools. At least the victim in this circumstance felt comfortable reporting her sexual assault to the university! There are so many other places where she would’ve been talked out of it, or where the university would’ve taken no action against her attacker.</p>
<p>Let’s try to keep some perspective here. I, like @arwarw, am disappointed in Brown, but I’m showing that through my actions here on campus, and am actively involved in trying to make change happen so that this doesn’t happen again.</p>
<p>Don’t send your daughter to Columbia: <a href=“Students File Complaints on Sexual Assaults at Columbia University - The New York Times”>Students File Complaints on Sexual Assaults at Columbia University - The New York Times;
<p>Or Dartmouth: <a href=“Dartmouth in the Glare of Scrutiny on Drinking - The New York Times”>http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/02/education/dartmouth-in-the-glare-of-scrutiny-on-drinking.html</a></p>
<p>Or Amherst: <a href=“Amherst Account of Rape Brings Tension to Forefront - The New York Times”>Amherst Account of Rape Brings Tension to Forefront - The New York Times;
<p>I could do a google search of just about any college in the US and come up with an article like these. </p>
<p>What deeply angers and upsets me is that, despite all the attention and press and effort that this topic has received in the 30+ years since I graduated from college, these problems don’t seem to have gotten much better. I could write a 1000-word rant on this topic, but I won’t right now.</p>
<p>What I don’t understand, much2learn, is why you targeted Brown with this post. Why don’t you have similar posts on every other college forum on CC, with links to articles like the ones I just gave?</p>
<p>Arwarw:
I agree in your case, but there are many admits who are still deciding among high quality options. In that case I would choose a different school. </p>
<p>The problem with changing from within seems to be that the system appeared to be working until the end. Then the administration over ruled the process. So now you have to work to change the Dean and the President of Brown who, I assume, must also have approved this decision at least tacitly. That will not be easy.</p>
<p>I find the Dean’s decision, at best, baffling.</p>
<p><a href=“Brown University Will Allow Rapist Who Choked His Victim Back On Campus | HuffPost College”>Brown University Will Allow Rapist Who Choked His Victim Back On Campus | HuffPost College;
<p>
</p>
<p>Fire and Rain:
I posted this because it is current, and the Administration seems to have overruled the process, and it is what I would do as a father.</p>
<p>Administrators usually make decisions in a very predictable way. They smile a lot, say nothing of substance as much as possible, talk from prepared talking points, and then make decisions based on what is most beneficial to them personally. Until the constituents of the University actually begin to take action, nothing changes. You get more smiles and double talk. But once top students and parents flood them with calls about reconsidering their decisions and donors withhold donations until things are made right, then things change. </p>
<p>Dartmouth now has a new President and a federal investigation. Maybe that is what it takes to get through the red tape at Brown too.</p>
<p>For an explanation of the process that the Administration actually followed, please read the letter from Margaret Klawunn, interim dean of the College and vice president for campus life and student services on the following link:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.browndailyherald.com/2014/04/23/u-mishandled-sexual-assault-case-victim-says/”>U. mishandled sexual assault case, victim says - The Brown Daily Herald;
<p>Shame on Brown University!</p>
<p>Two even more disturbing things in lime20002001s attachment, to me, are that </p>
<ol>
<li><p>the university reached this conclusion in spite of receiving a second complaint from a student who claims to have been raped by the same person as this student. </p></li>
<li><p>That the last line of the letter is clear that you should not bother the University further about this issue unless you intend to take them to court.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Again, this is not a court of law, so why can’t the Administration recommend that the victim and the student who was found guilty both take a polygraph. If she fails and he passes, then his conviction will be overturned and he can return to campus.</p>
<p>Wouldn’t that seem to be the most fair to everyone? If I were charged and innocent, I would be champing at the bit for that opportunity to clear my name. polygraphs are difficult to fool, if the administrator of the assessment is properly trained and experienced. </p>
<p>With this process, I would think that everyone would feel more comfortable with the outcome. </p>
<p>If you want to protect your daughters don’t send them to college. Keep them locked in the house. Nowhere is safe, and no one college or university is safer than another. Some of them get into the news, but that’s a poor index of safety or danger, or of how the administrations handle difficult calls. For all we know, it’s the college that never gets into the news that tramples individual rights the most egregiously.</p>
<p>ETA: I am no way affiliated with Brown</p>
<p>Wasatch writer:</p>
<p>The issue here is not finding a place that is risk free. It is about expecting our most revered institutions to take women’s issues and rape seriously. </p>
<p>The argument that the situation may be worse elsewhere does not make it okay here. </p>
<p>To me, your tone sounds like rape is just a women’s risk, if she wants to have a life and sounds misogynistic. Isn’t it reasonable for students and parents to expect these incidents to be taken seriously? </p>
<p>Why do you oppose those of us who want an environment at Brown where boys understand that “No means no”, and the University will not continue to smile, and nod understandingly while allowing this behavior to continue?</p>
<p>
.</p>
<p>You have lost credibility with me, on the basis of that statement. Here is what Dean of Admission, James Miller, wrote to ADOCH participants:</p>
<p>“During your time on campus, you may hear from students on any range of issues, and particularly from students who are advocating for modifications to the University’s sexual assault policies and sanctioning standards,” he wrote. “Students are vital to policy deliberation and debate at Brown, and the University actively supports the free and open exchange of ideas, which sometimes takes the form of protest.”</p>
<p>Here is an article summarizing the campus reaction:</p>
<p><a href=“Community questions sexual assault policies - The Brown Daily Herald”>Community questions sexual assault policies - The Brown Daily Herald;
<p>I think your screen name is descriptive when it comes to understanding that the Brown community is saddened, not smiling, shaking its head in dismay, not nodding, in circumstances such as this </p>
<p>I am responding to this:
To me this can only mean that you think somewhere else is safer. If your point is something else, I suggest choosing your titles more carefully.</p>
<p>
Show me where I or anyone else has said this. Making inferences like that in a public forum is simply irresponsible.</p>