Vice President for Student Affairs John Donato addressed the campus community in a letter about sexual assault and the conduct process at the University of Portland in an email letter Sunday night. Below is the letter in full:
Dear University of Portland Community,
The past week has been a difficult time for our entire community. I know that many of you are confused and angered by what you have read.
While I understand the community’s natural desire for more information about this specific case, I have to stress that federal law, specifically the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), protects the privacy of every student on this campus and prohibits any University employee from providing a response regarding the specifics of any student conduct matter.
We continue to work hard to ensure the safety and well-being of all people on campus. This includes educating students, faculty, and staff on sexual harassment and violence prevention, training for all participants in the Title IX process, and enhanced public safety measures and student support services.
Unfortunately, despite our collective efforts to prevent sexual violence, incidents occur which are deeply upsetting to all of us, including myself. I am confident that the processes and procedures we have followed in Title IX cases at the University have been done with integrity, sensitivity, and respect to all parties involved. I also recognize that there is the need to continuously look at these policies and procedures for ways to improve even more.
As I wrote last Thursday in response to specific, policy-related questions from The Beacon, UP's adherence to Title IX requirements go well beyond the requirements of federal law. One example is that the University has included a review process for Title IX cases, which is not required under federal law. After a case review request is submitted, the original hearing officers provide a written response to the case review request, including information used by the hearing officers in making his or her determination. As the case reviewer in Title IX cases, I then have the opportunity to review the conduct files, case review request submitted by the student, and the written response from the hearing officers in making my final, independent determination.
I know there are people among us who have been hurt, who feel the conduct process here has failed them. We do not want any situation where someone feels that way, and the University is committed to doing its best to ensure that our policies and procedures go beyond the legal requirements and are implemented with integrity, compassion, and fairness for every person involved. On November 1st of this year, Fr. Mark Poorman, C.S.C, formed an independent Ad Hoc Committee of faculty, staff, and students to do a thorough review of UP's Title IX policies and procedures, just as he did with the University's mental health services last year. While our Title IX policies and procedures were written in consultation with and reviewed by national experts in the field, the University is committed to continuous review and improvement in this area. I encourage you to share your thoughts and concerns with Dr. Elise Moentmann, chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Title IX and Associate Dean for Students in the College of Arts and Sciences, and the other members of the committee. Their mission is to listen to our community, our peer institutions, and national experts and provide their recommendations based on that research.
Title IX is an important subject that needs to be talked about more, which is why UP has actively expanded programs and services developed to prevent violent crimes against women on campus, including sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. From Green Dot, our bystander intervention program, to the Community Against Violence (CAV) team, we are striving to ensure our campus community is free from all forms of violence and to recognize that we all have a part to play in making this a reality.
As the Vice President for Student Affairs, I hope all of you feel comfortable in reaching out to me on any issue regarding student welfare on campus. In addition, Title IX Coordinator Lauretta Frederking is also available to anyone who wants to learn more about Title IX or share their experiences in this area.
I am grateful we share an environment in which we can all freely express our concerns and frustrations, as well as our hopes and expectations. Together, I am confident we can create a campus culture that is safe and non-threatening for all of us. A culture that does not simply meet the requirements of federal law, but surpasses it for the welfare of each member of our community.
Sincerely,
Fr. John Donato, C.S.C.
