UVA Media Coverage - Negative

<p>I just heard (second hand) that the local news station covering NYC devoted about 5 minutes this morning to dicsussing a recent date rape at UVA where the student was sanctioned but remained in school. The story did not present UVA, or its Honor Code, in a positive light. Could someone discuss what happened in this incident and what was done about it. As a former Law grad, I take it quite seriously when someone goes after UVA and its Honor Code. Thanks.</p>

<p>i havent heard of the incident. i will check it out.</p>

<p>The most recent case (charged filed in the spring), in my memory, deals with William Beebe. The survivor is a New Yorker, so perhaps this is the case? The story made</a> national news and was featured on Dateline. You can see local discussion [url=<a href="http://www.cvillenews.com/2006/01/13/beebe-denies-rape/%5Dhere%5B/url"&gt;http://www.cvillenews.com/2006/01/13/beebe-denies-rape/]here[/url&lt;/a&gt;].&lt;/p>

<p>Dean J - thanks. I have now read the story. However, I think, although I am not certain, that the gist of today's television story was that someone at UVA ( a frat guy) was found to have raped another student and, despite this finding, the rape was not an Honor Code violation. Again, this is all second hand and if I am ill-informed, I am sorry for wasting space here. Does that ring a bell at all?</p>

<p>jOHN ROSS, the Honor Code does not apply to sexual assault. In fact, it only applies to instances of lying, cheating and/or stealing. You supposedly went here - shouldn't you know that?</p>

<p>Cavalier - always a pleasure to hear from you. Denying a rape charge and then being found guilty (ie. lying), cheating a woman out of her virginity (ie. cheating), stealing a woman's dignity(ie. stealing). If the Honor Code dopes not apply to felonies like rape, care to defend why it should not apply?</p>

<p>Rofl. First of all, cheating covers four specific things, none of which is cheating a woman out of her virginity. In fact, calling that 'cheating' in any manner is pretty questionable, since it was forced and not coerced. Additionally, 'dignity' is intangible, and if anyone could say that someone stole their [insert random concept here] on a serious Honor charge that could get out of hand. Finally, you would have to actually prove that he committed the rape at an Honor I-panel/trial before you could get him for lying. And then what would he be lying about? He's admitted that he did it, and if he lied about it 21 years ago then it wouldn't be applicable since that's a little more than 2 years after the act of lying.</p>

<p>Second, this isn't a manner for the Honor Committee regardless. In terms of student governance, this falls as a serious UJC violation and would be taken up with them and an actual trial would occur under the SAB. In fact, it appears that these stories fail to understand that there are other bodies other than the Honor Committee at UVA, one of which specifically deals with these instances. How effective that body is up for a debate, but whether this is an Honor offense is not.</p>

<p>Thanks for the response. I was not really trying to fire up a debate on the issue but rather reiterating what I thought the gist of the media report was about. With that said, I hope UVA rises to the occassion and does not let the press smear UVA without an approrpiate tactful response. It is a very delicate issue and needs to be responded to with utmost care IMHO.</p>

<p>The media reporter probably did not know what they were talking about. Honor is probably the most visible organization at UVA, and therefore was the prime target for the reporter to spout whatever BS they wanted to instead of focusing on the justice this man avoided for over 20 years.</p>

<p>FWIW, they then went on the blast Notre Dame.</p>

<p>Between those of us who are here, I'm pretty sure we would be aware of a recent, high profile case. I was a member of the Sexual Assault Network (a response team) at another institution, so I definitely take note when something comes up.</p>

<p>Google News is always a good place to start finding info, but a call to the UVA Police Dept. would also get quick answers to questions about crime. You can also search</a> police reports online and even see specific locations (the neighborhood, hospital, Darden, Law, etc.). You can't see if the report involved a student, employee, or visitor, though. </p>

<p>In glancing at the last month's reports, everything seemed typical of a large university.</p>

<p>Dean J - thanks. It is always difficult to reconstruct a media spot without having heard it first hand.</p>

<p>Reading jOHN ROSS's commentary in this thread and others leads me to believe that he/she/it isn't a real attorney and/or didn't actually attend UVA.</p>

<p>Cavalier- I do not intend to dignify your last post with a response. As usual, you lend more heat than light to this forum.</p>

<p>As both a law grad and an attorney, I enjoy Cav's posts in the forums. But I have to say that going to law school does NOT really change people. .Besides, Mr. Ross never claimed to be an attorney, just a law school grad. (who is not listed in Martindale-Hubbell, the comprehensive free listing for practicing attorneys). </p>

<p>Although I was tickled to think that Mr. Ross' reliance on hearsay instead of actual knowledge that would be admissible in court, or his misunderstanding of the jurisdiction of the honor code, were somehow deemed evidence that he could not have graduated from UVA law school. If UVA law school can actually change people and make them think, I intend to push my first year UVA son to go there when he graduates. ;)</p>

<p>everyone is so critical of everyone. you all need to calm down, jeesh.</p>

<p>which fraternity is that "fratboy" from? I'm curious. Someone enlighten me.</p>

<p>phi kappa psi</p>

<p>untitled i must say i like your location</p>

<p>A little searching local sites led me to this bit of info:
[QUOTE]
The fraternity from UVA in that story was DTD (delta tau delta) which was kicked off of campus this year for an unrelated hazing incident. The rape case was actually a few years ago, at least 2 or 3 years if not more, do I don't know why it led to a current news story, but it was widely discussed when it was current news.

[/QUOTE]
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