<p>"YPSILANTI, Michigan (AP) -- The president of Eastern Michigan University was fired months after top university officials were accused of covering up the rape and slaying of a student by publicly ruling out foul play....</p>
<p>The president, John Fallon, confirmed that he was fired Sunday evening by a unanimous vote of the Board of Regents, The Ann Arbor News reported in its Monday editions. Board secretary Jackie Kurtz on Monday confirmed the firing to The Associated Press....</p>
<p>The president's dismissal follows an independent law firm investigation and U.S. Department of Education report, both of which found that the 23,500-student public university violated the federal Clery Act, which requires colleges and universities to disclose campus security information.</p>
<p>The body of the slain student, Laura Dickinson, 22, was discovered December 15 in her dorm room. At the time, university officials told her parents and the media that she died of asphyxiation but that there was no sign of foul play, despite evidence to the contrary.</p>
<p>You really wonder what they were thinking when they chose not to disclose a murder on campus... Surely word was bound to leak out, even if another student wasn't arrested for the crime.</p>
<p>Wow - the lengths people will go to protect a name. I can understand (just barely, but not agree) withholding the information from the students in order not to cause a panic but from the family? Come on...</p>
<p>I can't understand withholding info from anyone about a rape and murder on campus. I also don't understand why the police didn't release the info. </p>
<p>The campus apparently was lucky that there wasn't a serial murderer there, but who knows, perhaps the guy raped other people, too, who could have been unharmed if they'd known what had happened to the girl who was killed.</p>
<p>Northstarmom - I had the same question after hearing this story on NPR. Why wouldn't the police have responsibility for informing the family of a question of foul play? Clearly the school's response was despicable, but why wouldn't the police have jurisdiction?</p>
<p>I am from detroit, and as soon as this came out like 8 months ago, every single local news station was saying that it was probably murder. Anyone who listened to the news on this was under the impression that it was a murder. CNN is way off; from a resident's prospective, there was not a doubt that a murder occured.</p>
<p>The entire thing is truly horrifying. Hopefully her parents have some closure about the events and the school is in the process of getting newer, better management...</p>
<p>1MX is correct. It was pretty much common knowledge in this area that it was a murder ... I think the reason the administrators were fired was because they did have to go to great lengths to cover it up as they tried to do. I have a niece at EMU, and I have to admit that I have been worried about her safety ever since the story initially broke months ago. Bad things can happen anywhere, of course ... but it's especially worrisome when you find out that those you trust to keep a campus safe might be more beholden to politics than they are to the safety of the students. I am very pleased that the board took action, but I am a bit concerned that it took them so long to do so. I will probably vote them out when they are up for reelection.</p>
<p>Why do Univ. Presidents, Deans Administrations behave as they did in this situation (and even lesser situations) as if they are above the law? Did they think because they are a private university that they are shielded in some way from telling the truth? Does anyone know why private universities are still protected from disclosure in this country. It would be nice to know what goes on behind closed doors. It makes you very frightened what the legal team on campus knew and didnt know! How many others were implicated? This is really sick- poor helpless family!</p>
<p>One correction coffee, EMU is a public university. However, I agree with your overall point. I have seen crime statitics published by private universities that were blatantly misleading, to be kind.</p>
<p>I think that the fact this is public is an indication that it's not just private schools that share the cover-up blame. Everyone wants to protect their reputation (CYA). The thing publics have in their favor is that the taxpayers will complain long & loud.</p>
<p>Someone should investigate what the legal eagles knew and didnt know at the University. There should be a special investigation. What a total nightmare for the student and parents!</p>
<p>Horrible. That poor girl and her family. Eastern Michigan is in trouble for violating the Clery Act, which is named sadly, in memory of a girl who suffered a similar awful fate. Concern over the school's reputation should be miniscule compared to what the family has had to go through, and now their reputation will be all the worse.</p>
<p>The cover story in this week's Chronicle of Higher Education is about the firing. I thought that there might be more to the story than meets the eye, but it seems like just a cover-up by a president who had alienated a lot of people already.</p>