BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana's top higher education policymaking board pledged Wednesday to tighten oversight and enforcement of college policies against sexual misconduct, in response to a report detailing widespread failures in Louisiana State University's handling of student allegations of abuse.
Members of the Board of Regents said they intend to ensure the state's four public college systems have established strong stances against sexual misconduct, enacted prevention programs, provide support services for students who allege misconduct and respond strongly to those claims.
“We’re going to have to flex our role in policymaking and enforcing our policy,” said board member Wilbert Pryor, of Shreveport. “We're going to have to put our foot down on our institutions."
Board chairman Blake David and Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed sent college governing board leaders a list of questions asking for information about how they handle misconduct claims. They want answers by April 9.
The Board of Regents review stems from an independent report that determined LSU for years mishandled its response to student allegations of rape, domestic violence and assault, in some instances ignoring the claims entirely.
LSU hired law firm Husch Blackwell to review its handling of complaints under federal Title IX laws after reporting by USA Today scrutinized the school’s handling of sexual assault cases implicating two former football players.
“I do think this is a moment to recognize we have seen systemic failure,” Reed said. She pledged to look for ways to improve campus efforts to combat sexual misconduct and “to make sure we're educating safely.”
The letter asks college system leaders to provide information about sexual misconduct policies,...
