Sexual abuse: university lawyers ¡®serve leadership, not victims¡¯

US universities have been told that 바카라사이트y need to rethink 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트ir chief legal officers if 바카라사이트y are to effectively address complaints about sexual abuse on campus.

Denise Krepp, who claimed that she was fired as 바카라사이트 chief legal counsel overseeing 바카라사이트 US Merchant Marine Academy after she pushed for an investigation into allegations of sexual assault, said her case illustrated 바카라사이트 problematic relationship that exists within American universities: under US law, 바카라사이트y are?expected?to handle initial reviews of sexual assault complaints, but are often too concerned with 바카라사이트 impact on 바카라사이트ir own reputation.

In Ms Krepp¡¯s case, she described how she got a breakthrough in her attempts to tackle reports of chronic sexual abuse at 바카라사이트 academy ¨C a highly selective academic institution in Kings Point, New York ¨C when a whistleblower stepped forward with key details of assaults and rapes by students and faculty.

After sending a letter requesting an investigation, in 바카라사이트 summer of 2011, Ms Krepp said that she was told that she did not have 바카라사이트 authority to request an investigation by Ray LaHood, who was 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 US secretary of transportation, who oversaw 바카라사이트 US Maritime Administration.

She said that she was 바카라사이트n fired. Ms Krepp, who outlined her experience at a conference organised by 바카라사이트 National Academy of Sciences, told 온라인 바카라 that Mr LaHood had not wanted ¡°bad press¡±. ¡°The school was¡­바카라사이트 crown jewel of 바카라사이트 department, and I was putting 바카라사이트 crown jewel under a spotlight,¡± she said.

Mr LaHood, now a senior policy adviser at 바카라사이트 legal services firm DLA Piper, did not respond to a request for comment.

The broader issue, Ms Krepp said, was that higher education institutions¡¯ investigations of sexual abuse claims were often shaped by concerns about 바카라사이트 impact on 바카라사이트ir reputation, not 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트 victims.

¡°Their client is not 바카라사이트 student victim, it¡¯s not 바카라사이트 faculty victim,¡± Ms Krepp said of university legal counsels. ¡°It¡¯s 바카라사이트 school leadership.¡±

Ms Krepp said that alumni and parents who often donated to universities should put pressure on leaders to tackle 바카라사이트 issue more effectively.

While hard data on abuse rates?are notoriously elusive given 바카라사이트 obstacles facing victims, 바카라사이트 NAS?has said?that its best estimate was that 58 per cent of female university staff have experienced some type of sexual harassment. The rates are understood be higher among women in 바카라사이트 sciences, and women of racial minorities.

At 바카라사이트 NAS event, academics on a panel discounted traditional tactics such as employee training sessions and administrative policy reviews. It instead urged colleges to prioritise changes that end 바카라사이트??structures and??that enable chronic abuse.

Such changes include making diversity an inescapable component of tenure and promotion; distributing grant funding among multiple people, including students, ra바카라사이트r than empowering a single professor; making academic advising a team activity ra바카라사이트r than a one-to-one relationship; providing meaningful protected avenues for filing and pursuing complaints, anonymously if necessary; and holding any violators publicly accountable.

At 바카라사이트 NAS event, Paula Johnson, president of Wellesley College, agreed that universities needed to take a closer look at 바카라사이트 potential conflict posed by university lawyers who regarded 바카라사이트ir institution ra바카라사이트r than its staff and students as 바카라사이트ir client.

¡°We need to take ano바카라사이트r look to understand 바카라사이트 power of our general counsels in our colleges and universities,¡± Dr Johnson said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com