
Title IX in Louisiana | Louisiana Public Square
Season 17 Episode 4 | 57m 43sVideo has Closed Captions
Is the culture of “protecting the brand at all costs” bigger in Louisiana than elsewhere?
Louisiana colleges and universities have come under fire for their recent handling of Title IX investigations. Are our young people safe at Louisiana colleges? And is the culture of “protecting the brand at all costs” a bigger problem in Louisiana schools than in other states?
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Louisiana Public Square is a local public television program presented by LPB
Funding provided by The Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting

Title IX in Louisiana | Louisiana Public Square
Season 17 Episode 4 | 57m 43sVideo has Closed Captions
Louisiana colleges and universities have come under fire for their recent handling of Title IX investigations. Are our young people safe at Louisiana colleges? And is the culture of “protecting the brand at all costs” a bigger problem in Louisiana schools than in other states?
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship♪ ♪ HELLO AND WELCOME TO LOUISIANA PUBLIC SQUARE.
I'M BETH COURTNEY, PRESIDENT OF LPD.
TONIGHT'S TOPIC, "TITLE IX IN LOUISIANA," LOOKS AT RECENT ROTHER OF FAILURES IN THE SYSTEM AT OUR STATE COLLEGES AND THE REPERCUSSIONS THE FAILURES INFLICT ON STUDENTS.
IT'S A DIFFICULT DISCUSSION, BUT ONE THAT WE HOPE WILL PAVE THE WAY TO SAFER CAMPUSES FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
JOINING ME TO MODERATE TONIGHT'S EPISODE IS ANDRE MOREAU.
THANK YOU, BETH, AS ALWAYS.
AND IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE.
YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT ONE IN FOUR COLLEGE STUDENTS IN THIS COUNTRY WILL BE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED DURING THEIR TIME IN SCHOOL IS A BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW.
IN 1972, THE U.S. CONGRESS CREATED TITLE IX, A FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS LAW PUT IN PLACE TO PROTECT STUDENTS AND FACULTY FROM DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEX.
BY CREATING A SYSTEM WHERE THEY COULD REPORT ABUSE.
LOUISIANA COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES FROM COME UNDER -- HAVE COME UNDER FIRE FOR THEIR RECENT MISHANDLING OF TIGHTEN 9 INVESTIGATIONS AND MORE SCHOOL IS UNDER MORE SCRUTINY THAN LSU.
AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION BY HUSCH BLACKWELL REVEALED COVER-UPS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND HARASSMENT RATHER THAN ADDRESS THEM.
WEEK AFTER WEEK NEW STORIES HAVE EMERGED UNCOVERING FURTHER ABUSES AT LSU AND OTHER CAMPUSES ACROSS THE STATE.
THESE RECENT REPORTS DEPICT A BROKEN TITLE IX SYSTEM IN LOUISIANA THAT IS WITHOUT ADEQUATE STAFF OR RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS.
OUR LOUISIANA'S COLLEGES IS DOING ENOUGH -- ARE LOUISIANA'S COLLEGES DOING ENOUGH TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS SAFE?
WE'LL HEAR FROM SURVIVOR AND STUDENTS IN OUR PANEL DISCUSSION.
FIRST, WE WANT TO SHARE THIS STORY FROM CAROLLINE SCHROEDER, A GRADUATE NOW WORKING IN DUBLIN, IRELAND, ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE.
MY NAME IS KILLERRINE SHROLLEDDER AND I GRADUATED FROM LSU IN MAY OF 2020.
I NOW LIVE IN DOUBLE LIN, IRELAND, AND I WORK AT THE -- AS A FREE LANCE WRITER.
I CHOSE LSU BECAUSE PI -- I GREW UP IN BATON ROUGE, SO I GREW UP IN THE LEES -- LSU AND CULTURE.
-- LSU COMMUNITY AND CULTURE.
MY PARENTS WENT TO LYSES.
MY SISTER WENT TO LYSES.
SOME OF MY GRANDPARENTS WENT TO LYSES, AND ALL OF THAT PLUS BEING CLOSE TO MY FAMILY, THIS MAKES THE MOST TRIP.
IT WAS A HAL WEEK-THEMED PARTY AND -- HALLOWEEN-THEMED PART.
WE TOOK A BUS TO NEW ORLEANS.
YOU START DRINKING AT THE HOUSE AND YOU TAKE THIS HOUR AND A HALF BUS TO NEW ORLEANS AND YOU KEEP DRINKING AND YOU GET TO A BAR.
AND YOU KEEP DRINKING.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE BUS RIDE BACK TO BATON ROUGE.
YOU'RE NOT GETTING BACK TO BATON ROUGE UNTIL LIKE 1:00 A.M. AND I GOT ON TO THE BUS AND I WAS SITTING AT THE FRONT OF THE BUS.
AND I HAD A SEAT TO MYSELF.
SO I LAID DOWN AND I TOOK A NAP.
AND I WOKE UP AND THERE WAS THIS GUY JUST LIKE GROPING ME AND REACHING UP UNDER MY SKIRT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT I REMEMBER SAYING, LIKE GET OFF ME, AND THEN HE DIDN'T AND THEN I SAID, I'M GOING TO PUNCH YOU AND HE RAB AWAY.
AND -- RAN AWAY.
AND THEN THE NIGHT WAS OVER AND I LEFT IT.
IT WASN'T UNTIL MORE THAN A YEAR LATER I WAS OUT WITH SOME FRIENDS AND THERE WAS A GIRL THERE I DIDN'T KNOW VERY WELL AND I STEAD -- OR SHE MENTIONED THAT SHE HAD BEEN ON THAT TRIP AND I SAID, OH, I WAS ON THAT.
AND I HAD A TERRIBLE TIME.
AND SHE -- I THINK SHE HAD AN IDEA THE WAY I SAID IT SO I HADDER -- TOE I TOLD HER WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE SHE SAID THAT'S WEIRD BECAUSE SOMETHING SIMILAR HAND TO -- THAPPED TO MY FRIEND THAT SAME NIGHT.
AND SHE'D ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE'D ALSO ATTACKED SOMEONE ELSE IN THEIR DORM ROOM, SOMEONE ELSE THAT WE KNOW.
SO AT THIS POINT I FELT LIKE THIS IS A CLEAR PATTERN OF LIKE TERRIBLE BEHAVIOR.
SO EVEN THOUGH I REALLY IGNORED THE ISSUE FOR ABOUT A YEAR, THAT WAS WHEN I THOUGHT LIKE, OKAY, THIS ISN'T SOME ISOLATED INCIDENT.
I DIDN'T MISINTERPRET THINGS.
THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE REPORTED.
SO I FILED A TITLE 9 COMPLAINT.
SO THAT WAS IN EARLY 2018, I THINK.
BUT I DIDN'T HEAR BACK UNTIL 2019 WHEN THINGS REALLY KICKED OFF.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING OUR PANEL'S REACTION TO THAT STORY.
JOINING US TO GIVE A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE OF THE TITLE IX PROBLEMS IN LOUISIANA ARE ELISABETH ADRIES, AN LSU SENIOR MAJOR IN INDUSTRIAL I KNOW NEARING, AND SHE GRADUATES THIS SPRING.
RICKY BRYANT, AN LSU JUNIOR, MAJOR IN MASS COMMUNICATIONS AND IS THE STUDENT GOLF ATTORNEY GENERAL.
CALISE RICHARDSON NOW GETTING HER MASTERS IN CLINIC MENTAL HEALTH, COUNSELING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DENVER.
SHE JOINS US BY SKYPE.
AND ANGELINA CANTELLI, AN LSU JUNIOR GETTING A DUAL DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY AND ENGLISH AND SHE IS PO PRESIDENT OF TIGERS -- COPRESIDENT OF TIGERS AGAINST SEXUAL ASSAULT.
I'D LIKE TO START WITH A QUESTION.
HER ASSAULT DURING HER FRESHMAN YEAR -- IS HER STORY UNUSUAL OR IS IT COMMON IN YOUR EXPERIENCES?
ANGELINA, LET'S START WITH YOU ON THIS.
I THINK THE PART THAT REALLY STUCK OUT TO MY ABOUT CAROLINE STORY WAS SCHSHE SAID SHE FILED A REPORT IF 2018 AND DIDN'T HEAR BACK UNTIL 2019.
I THINK THAT PIECE OF THE STORY IS REALLY COMMON TO SURVIVORS ON LSU'S CAMPUS.
I KNOW THE NUMBER ONE THING WE HEAR WHEN PEOPLE COME TO US AND DISCLOSE THEY'VE BEEN ASSAULTED IS ALSO THIS LINE, AND LSU DID NOTHING.
EVEN BEFORE USA TODAY OR ANYTHING CAME OUT PUBLICLY, WE WERE CONSTANTLY HEARING, I DIDN'T GET THE RESULT I WANTED.
I FEEL LIKE NOTHING WAS DONE.
AND IT SEEMED LIKE WE KNEW THERE WERE PROBLEMS, BUT THERE WAS NO REGARD PROOF IN A SENSE.
AND THERE WAS DEFINITELY THIS COMMON BELIEF AMONG SURVIVORS THAT LSU WASN'T ALWAYS GOING TO RESPECT YOUR RIGHTS.
AND SO SADLY, THAT PART WASN'T SHOCKING TO ME.
WHAT DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE WHEN YOU HEAR THESE STORIES TIME AND TIME AGAIN, TELLING SOMETHING AND YOU'RE NOT TELLING IT JUST TO GET ATTENTION, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING -- YOUR EXPERIENCE WAS THIS.
AND YET YOU'RE GOING TO THE PEOPLE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GO TO AND NOTHING.
NO, YEAH.
IT WAS INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATION.
I KNOW THAT WE ONLY STARTED TASA IN THE BEGINNING OF 2020, SO WE WERE FAIRLY NEW BUT WE SAW THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO NEEDED THIS ORGANIZATION AND WANTED SOMEWHERE TO SHARE THOSE EXPERIENCES.
I KNOW WE HAD BEEN WORKING CLOSELY FROM THE TITLE IX OFFICE FROM WHEN WE STARTED AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY WE WERE FOOLED, BUT WE WERE CONHAVE CONVINCED THAT THEY -- CONVINCED THINK WERE LISTENING AND WE UNDERSTAND -- THEY UNDERSTOOD THERE WERE PROBLEMS AND THEY WANTED TO FIX IT BUT EVERYTHING WHEN CAME OUT IN THE FALL, IT WAS SO MUCH MORE THAN WE COULD HAVE IMAGINED.
AND IT WAS HARD BREAKING TO KNOW THAT WE REALLY THOUGHT WE WERE ADVOCATING FOR SURVIVORS AND REALLY THOUGHT THE PEOPLE WE WERE TALKING TO CARED AND WERE LISTENING AND THAT JUST DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THE CASE.
YOU WEREN'T GETTING THAT SUPPORT.
NOW, ELISABETH, I UNDERSTAND YOUR STORY ACTUALLY SPIR SECRETARIES -- INTERSECTS WITH CAROLINE'S.
TELL US ABOUT THAT.
YEAH.
SO THE FRATERNITY DATE THAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS THE -- THE GUY WAS MY DATE.
WE WERE FRIENDS FOR THE LONGEST TIME.
BUT ON THE BUS RIDE HOME, SINCE HE WAS MY FRIEND I WAS THERE WITH MY OTHER FRIENDS AND STUFF, THEY CASUAL LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE YOUR FRIENDS GET YOUR FRIENDS HOME WHEN WE'RE NOT FEELING WELL.
AND SO THEY HANDED ME OFF TO HIM BECAUSE WE WERE VERY CLOSE AT THE TIME.
AND HE PUT ME TO THE BACK OF THE BUS AND FROM WHAT I REMEMBERED, HE DISAPPEARED FOR A WHILE, WHICH YOU KNOW, LATER AFTER MEETING CAROLINE, I FIGURED I PUT THE PUZZLE PIECES TOGETHER WHERE HE DISAPPEARED TO.
THAT WAS HAPPENING WITH HER.
YEAH.
AND THEN -- I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO THE DETAILS, BUT HE CAME BACK AND I JUST REMEMBER SAYING, REPEATEDLY -- NO, PREALLOTTEDLY -- REPEATEDLY, AND I THINK MY MIND SHUT THE LAST OUT FOR GOOD SAKE.
BUT SINCE HE WAS MY FRIEND I DIDN'T REPORT IT FOR THE LONGEST TIME.
AND I -- DID YOU EVER HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM?
NO.
I IGNORED IT AND YOU KNOW, AS VICTIMS DO, THEY BLAME THEMSELVES FOR THE LONGEST TIME.
SO I REMAINED FRIENDS WITH HIM FOR A YEAR.
AND THEN ONE NIGHT I PICKED HIM UP FROM A BAR AND HE TRIED SOMETHING AGAIN AND I THINK IT UNLOCKED THAT MEMORY.
AND SO IN JANUARY OF 2019, WE HAD A CLASS TOGETHER.
AND I FIRST WENT TO A DOCTOR AT LSU BECAUSE I -- MY ROOMMATE TOLD ME THAT YOU CAN GET LIKE AN EXCUSED ABSENCES FOR LIKE MENTAL HEALTH REASONS.
SO I JUST WENT AND I JUST CONFESSED TO THE DOCTOR WHAT HAPPENED.
AND I WAS LIKE, I JUST -- I CAN'T GO TO CLASS.
AND I NEED AN EXCUSE.
I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
ENGINEERING IS A MALE-DOMINATED FIELD.
DON'T WANT TO TELL THE MALE TEACHER ABOUT IT.
SO SHE GRACIOUSLY GAVE IT TO ME AND IT WAS SOMEONE AT THE DISABILITY OFFICE WHO ENCOURAGED ME TO REPORT IT TO TITLE IX, WHICH COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW DO THAT.
SO I REACHED OUT TO STUDENT ACCOUNTABILITY AND JUST SENT THEM AN EMAIL AND I WAS LIKE, I'M TRYING TO FILE A TITLE 9 REPORT, HELP ME, ESSENTIALLY.
SO I REPORTED IT.
DIDN'T HEAR BACK FOR TWO WEEKS AND I EMAILED THEM AND ASKED FOR WHERE IS THE NO-CONTACT ORDER.
I'M VERY NERVOUS FOR WHEN YOU CONTACT HIM.
WE'RE IN THE SAME CLASS, IN THE SAME STUDY GROUP.
THEY SAID SINCE HE HADN'T CONTACTED ME SINCE LIKE 2018, THAT THERE WAS NO CONTACT TO CEASE AND I COULD GIVE HIM ONE MYSELF, WHICH I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW THAT WORKS, HOW I CAN JUST WALK UP AND TELL HIM TO -- YOU DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT, EITHER, REALLY, DID YOU.
FOR VERY OBVIOUS REASONS.
AND WHO WAS THE POINT PERSON YOU WERE TALKING TO?
YOU SAY "THEY," TITLE IX, BUT THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY THEYS.
YEAH.
ONE PERSON TALKING TO YOU?
I WAS MAINLY SPEAKING WITH THE PERSON WITH STUDENT ADVOCATION, TRACY BLANCHARD.
AND I HAD ASKED TO BE SWAPPED OUT OF THE CLASS OR HAVE MORE ACOME CATIONS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS ONLY ONE SECTION, DOWN THE LINE IF YOUR COURSES ARE JUNIOR, SENIOR LEVEL, AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T MOVE ME.
AND THEY'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST GET THE SHORT END OF THAT STICK.
SO I HAD TO SIT IN THAT CLASS WITH THEM FOR THE WHOLE SMERLS.
BUT YEAH, BUT -- SEMESTER.
BUT YEAH, CAROLINE AND I STARTED TALKING AFTER THE INDIVIDUAL WAS CON -- CONVICTED OF ASSAULTING BOTH OF US.
THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED TALKING AND SHARING OUR STORIES AND TEAMING UP AGAINST LSU I LIKE TO SAY, BECAUSE SHE WAS REALLY THE ONLY ONE IN MY FIELD FOR THAT.
BUT YEAH, NO, THEY JUST KEPT PUSHING US BACK AND NEXT SEMESTER, WHICH I HAD FOUR OR FIVE FIVE OF MY GLASSES WITH HIM, THE THEY TOLD -- CLALSZ WITH HIM.
THEY ONLY TOLD ME ABOUT THREE.
AFTER YOU GO THROUGH MONTHS OF REPORTING AND BEING PUSHED BACK AND NOT INFORMED ABOUT ANYTHING AND -- NO RESPONSE WAS BASICALLY WHAT YOU WERE GETTING FROM LSU.
NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
LET'S CHECK IN WITH CALISE.
A LOT OF ATTENTION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO TITLE 9 ABUSES WITHIN THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM AND ALSO STORIES OF SPECIAL TREATMENT GIVEN TO ATHLETES AND COACHES.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE.
YEAH.
I MEAN, JUST TO NAME IT, MY EXPERIENCE, I FELT INVALIDATED, MANIPULATED, GAS-LIGHTED, VICTIM-ASSEMBLYMANNED AND SLUT-SHAMED.
MINE, WHAT IS PUBLICLY KNOWN, IS I HAD TWO CASES WITH DRAKE DAVIS FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND -- FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT.
AND THEY BOTH HAPPENED IN THE FALL OF 2016.
AND HOW THAT KIND OF CAME ABOUT WAS ME AND DRAKE GOT INTO A PUBLIC ALTERCATION OUT AT KAISER LAND WHERE HE PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED ME.
AND IT WAS SOMEHOW REPORTED TO HIS POSITION COACH LIKE THE NEXT MORNING.
AND THEN THAT POSITION COACH CALLED MY BOSS AT THE TIME, SHARON LEWIS, BECAUSE I WORKED IN FOOTBALL RECRUITING.
AND SO SHARON THEN CALLED ME ON THE WEEKEND AND HAD TOLD ME, YOU KNOW, I'VE CALLED OTHER PLAYERS THAT WERE THERE.
I CALLED YOUR FRIENDS THAT WERE THERE.
AND ASKED THEM WHAT HAPPENED.
SO SHE ESSENTIALLY DID HER OWN VERSION OF AN INVESTIGATION.
CAL WRITINGS, LET ME ASK YOU THIS.
YOU AND DRAKE WERE AT THE TIMING AT THE TIME -- WERE DATING AT THE TIME, CORRECT?
YES.
THAT WAS OUR AGREEMENT.
THAT WAS YOUR AGREEMENT THAT YOU WERE DATING.
OKAY.
WHAT ABOUT WITH THE OTHER PLAYER?
DARIUS -- DARIUS WAS SOMEONE WHO I FELT AT THE TIME WAS ONE OF MY REALLY GOOD FRIENDS.
SO AT THE TIME YOU WERE DATING DRAKE DAVIS AND YOU AND DERRIUS GUICE WERE GOOD FRIENDS, YOU FELT.
YES.
ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
I WANT YOU TO CONTINUE.
YEAH.
SO THEN SHARON ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO COME AND MEET WITH DRAKE AND HIS POSITION COACH AND HER.
AND I SAID I ABSOLUTELY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
AND SO I THEN MET WITH JUST SHARON AND KEEBA.
AND THEY HAD ASKED ME WHAT HAD HAPPENED.
DIDN'T OFFER ANY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
AND BASICALLY WAS LIKE, IF WHATEVER YOU SEE FIT AS HIS PUNISHMENT, THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO.
SO THEY GAVE ME SOMEONE WHO IS VERY SEVERELY TRAUMATIZED THE POWER TO THEN PUNISH MY ABUSER.
AND THEN NOTHING HAPPENED.
WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION AT THE TIME -- WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION AT THE TIME TO BEING GIVEN THAT CHOICE?
WHICH SEEMS LIKE AN UNUSUAL CHOICE TO ME.
YEAH.
INSTEAD OF THEM HAVE GONE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT IT OR SOME CERTAINTY, THEY ASK YOU TO OFFER THE PUNISHMENT?
YEAH.
I -- MY ANSWER WAS I WANT HIM TO GET HELP.
I WANTED HIM TO GET THERAPY.
ABUSERS DON'T JUST HAPPEN.
THEY'RE CREATED.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WHAT THEY DO IS OKAY.
THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE ABSOLUTELY.
BUT HE ALSO NEEDED HELP.
AND I WAS SO -- WHAT I FELT LIKE WAS -- AT THE TIME IN LOVE WITH HIM AND SO I ABSOLUTELY WAS NOT IN A POSITION TO EVER SAY WHAT I FELT LIKE WAS APPROPRIATE ACCOUNTABILITY.
OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
RICKY, LET ME ASK YOU.
MANY PEOPLE ASSUME THAT WOMEN ARE THE ONLY VICTIMS IN NIECE CASES, THESE A -- THESE CASES, THESE ASSAULTS.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
TELL US YOUR STORY.
RIGHT.
IN JANUARY OF 2019, I STARTED HANGING OUT WITH THIS PERSON AND GETTING TO KNOW THEM A LOT CLOSER AND THEY WERE IN A POSITION OF PUSH OVER ME.
SHE ALWAYS HAD A WEIRD DYNAMIC.
I WAS HONESTLY HONORED TO BE AROUND THEM AND TO -- TO BE ASKED TO COME OVER TO HAIR HOUSE AND I FELT -- THEIR HOUSE AND IT FELT LIKE A FRIENDSHIP AND IT TURNED REALLY QUICKLY.
AND I WAS ASSAULTED IN FEBRUARY OF 2019, FIRST TIME.
AND IT WENT ON FOR THE ENTIRE SPRING SEMESTER OF 2019.
THERE WERE TIMES WHEN LIKE ELISABETH SAID, I IF THE LIKE IT WAS MY FAULT.
I FELT LIKE IT WAS MY FAULT FOR GOING BACK, BUT THERE'S THIS -- IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN.
THERE'S THIS WEIRD COMFORT -- AND I DON'T IF COMFORT IS THE RIGHT WORD, BUT THERE'S THIS WEIRD NEED TO GO BACK AND TRY AND SAY "NO."
TRY AND -- FOR ONE AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO ME AND SHOWING THAT EMOTION, AND SHOWING HOW TRAUMATIC EVERY EXPERIENCE IS AND IT'S THE -- SOMETIMES YOU JUST CAN'T.
AND SO SOMETIMES YOU GO INTO THIS STATE WHERE YOU JUST LAY THERE AND YOU CAN'T -- YOU CAN'T MOVE.
YOU GO INTO THIS -- YOU JUST -- YOU'RE IN YOUR BODY FOR AN ENTIRE SMER, I ENDURED JUST OVER AND OVER, AND FINALLY THE PERSON GRADUATED.
SO IT WAS HELPFUL TO GET PAST IT ALL, YOU BUT I DIDN'T -- PERSON IS IN A POSITION OF POWER SO I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I COULD REPORT IT.
I HAD HEARD STORIES LIKE ELISABETH AND CAROLINE AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT, AND IN MY FRESHMAN YEAR.
SO I JUST DIDN'T REPORT.
I DIDN'T THINK THAT THE PROCESS WOULD BE TIME KIND TO ME.
I DIDN'T THINK THAT I COULD TRULY BE REPRESENTED WITHIN THE PROCESS BECAUSE I HAD HEARD SO MANY STORIES ABOUT HOW TITLE IX WAS ALMOST VICTIM-BLAMING AS FAR AS A PROCESS.
YOU HADN'T TOLD ANYBODY.
YOUR PARENTS?
I HAVE NOT TOLD MY PARENTS UNTIL JANUARY THIS YEAR.
OKAY.
SO NO.
NO, I DIDN'T HOLD MY PARENTS UNTIL AFTER I TESTIFIED AT THE LEGISLATURE.
A LONG TIME.
ANGELINA, AS COPRESIDENT OF TIGERS AGAINST SEXUAL ASSAULT, YOU'VE ADVOCATED ON BEHALF OF SURVIVORS AND ALSO BECOME A RESOURCE THAT YOU MENTIONED FOR VICTIMS.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT STUDENTS ARE FACING WITH THIS?
YEAH.
I ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS SOMETHING RICKY WAS TALKING ABOUT.
LIKE WORK AT STARR, PEOPLE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT FIGHT OR FLIGHT WHEN PEOPLE EXPERIENCE CONFLICT.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO SEXUAL ASSAULT, ESPECIALLY, WE LIKE TO SAY IT'S FIGHT, FLIGHT, OR FREEZE.
SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT OFTEN HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY FEEL STUCK.
BUT WITH TASA, SOUTHWESTERLY -- SPECIFICALLY, A LOT OF THE BARRIERS WE'VE SEEN ARE PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON ONE.
I WOULD SAY IS LIKE ELISABETH MENTIONED, NOT BEING ABLE TO GET OUT OF CLASSES WITH THE PERSON WHO ABUSED YOU.
THAT'S BEEN AN ISSUE AS LONG AS I'VE KNOWN OR BEEN DOING THINGS WITH TITLE 9 AT LUTES.
-- AT LSU AND IT'S SOMETHING I THINK LOUISIANA AS A WHOLE IS FAIL OG.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO OTHER UNIVERSITIES BECAUSE I DON'T GO THERE.
BUT I KNOW THAT MANY STATES HAVE STATE LAWS THAT MAKE THAT REQUIRED, TO WHERE IF A SURVIVOR IS IN A CLASS OF AN ABUSER, YOU HAVE TO MOVE THE ABUSER.
IT'S NOT ON THE SURVIVOR TO BE MOVED.
AND YET WE CAN'T EVEN GET SURVIVORS MOVED OUT OF THEIR CLASSES WHEN THEY'RE BEGGING TO BE HERE AT LSU.
AND SO I THINK NOT ONLY DOES THAT TAKE ACTION FROM UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION, BUT IT SHOULD BE A CONCERN TO LEGISLATURES ACROSS LOUISIANA THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THEY HAVE POWER TO CHANGE AND IT'S A REAL TANGIBLE BENEFIT TO SURVIVORS.
AND THEN I WOULD ALSO SAY, SOME OF THE THINGS WITH HALLS AND APARTMENTS, NOT BEING ABLE TO LEAVE THOSE SPACES IF THEY'RE CLOSE TO THE ABUSER AND NOT BEING HEARD BY STUDENT ADVOCACY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IS PROBABLY THE SECOND ISSUE, SECOND BIGGEST ISSUE THAT I WOULD IDENTIFY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD BEEN THROUGH TITLE IX REPORTS AND INVESTIGATIONS AND THE TITLE IX OFFICES WAS TELLING THEM YOU HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE, YOU KNOW.
WE ARE GOING TO RECOMMEND THIS PUNISHMENT, THIS PERSON WILL BE SUSPENDED OR EXPELLED OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
AND YET THEY WOULD GO TO STUDENT ADVOCATE AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND THAT PERSON WOULD BE GIVEN THE LIGHTEST PUNISHMENT.
THEY'D BE ALLOWED TO REMAIN AT LSU AND IT WAS -- OBVIOUSLY FRUSTRATING IN ANY SENSE TO NOT HAVE YOUR ABUSER PUNISHED BUT I THINK ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE TOLD BY ONE OFFICE THAT YOU HAVE A CASE AND THEN YOU BRING THAT CASE FORWARD AND NOTHING HAPPENS, IS EXTREMELY DISCOURAGING.
AND SO I KNOW A LOT HAS COME OUT ABOUT STUDENT ADVOCACY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND JONATHAN SANDERS IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS IN THE MEDIA, AND I THINK THAT'S A REAL ISSUE THAT A LOT OF SURVIVORS HAVE EXPERIENCED.
THE FACT THAT I THINK THE LAST FIVE TO 10 YEARS ONLY ONE STUDENT HAS BEEN EXPELLED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT.
LSU IS DISGUSTING WHEN WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY MORE ABUSERS WHO WALK THIS CAMPUS AND POSE A THREAT TO STUDENTS EVERYWHERE.
SO TO EVERYBODY, WHAT WOULD HAVE MADE THE REPORTING PROCESS BETTER AND CALISE, I SAY EVERYBODY, BUT LET'S BEGIN WITH YOU.
WHAT WOULD HAVE MADE THE REPORTING PROCESS BETTER?
SO I ACTUALLY HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT IDEAS.
GOOD.
I'LL GO INTO THEM.
I FIRST THING TITLE IX INVESTIGATORS NEED TO HAVE TRAUMA-INFORMED COMMUNICATION TRAINING AND IF THEY ALREADY HAVE THAT, THEY NEED TO BE BETTER UTILIZED.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS MY EXPERIENCE, THE INTERVIEW WAS VERY LIKE, WHAT HAPPENED, WHY DID YOU DO THAT, WHAT HAPPENED NEXT, YOU KNOW.
AND I'M SITTING THERE RELIVING MY TRAUMA AND GETTING EMOTIONAL AND THERE WAS NO EMPATHY WITHIN THE ROOM.
I ALSO THINK IN A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS NEED TO BE PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEWS AND THE INVESTIGATION PROCESS TO OFFER EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, ADVOCATE FOR THE INDIVIDUALS' NEEDS, AND TO BE ABLE TO ASSESS ANY POTENTIAL SAFETY RISKS THAT THE PERSON MIGHT SAY THAT THE INVESTIGATOR MIGHT NOT BE TRAINED TO LIKE PICK UP ON.
THEN I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE MANDATORY CHECK-INS AND CHECKOUTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WHO ASSURE EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING, SAFETY, AND TO OFFER THE ADDITIONAL LIKE DECOMPRESSING TIME AFTER THE INTERVIEWS.
AND THEN LAST, I WOULD SAY AS STUDENTS -- OR LIKE THE REPORT IS FILED, I WOULD LIKE THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO BE OFFERED A PARTNERSHIP WITH EITHER SOMEONE FROM STAR OR TASA WHO ONE IS EDUCATED ON THE IMPACTS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL CONDUCT, TO OFFER THAT EMOTIONAL SUPPORT BUT ALSO TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL, BECAUSE MY EXPERIENCE, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT MY OPTIONS WERE.
I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS RIGHT OR WHAT WAS WRONG, WHAT WAS CORRECT PROTOCOL, WHAT WAS NOT, AND SO I TRUSTED THESE PROFESSIONALS TO DO THEIR JOB BECAUSE I WAS DEFINITELY NOT IN A PLACE TO QUESTION ANYTHING.
AND I LATER HAVE FOUND OUT THAT MY INVESTIGATION WAS NOT THROWN OUT.
THERE WAS DEFINITELY PROT COLES -- PROTOCOLS BROKEN.
BUT I HAD NO IDEA HOW TO NAVIGATED THAT AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY HELP ME ADVOCATE THAT.
SEEMS LIKE YOU WERE CALLING FOR A TOTAL OVERHAUL OF THE WAY THINGS ARE HANDLED.
SO CAL WRITINGS, THANK YOU FOR -- KALIS, THANK YOU FOR THOSE FOUR ITEMS THAT YOU MENTIONED.
LET ME ASK EVERYONE, WHAT ARE WAYS THAT YOU SEE THAT CAN BE CORRECTED OR DONE A LOT BETTER AS CALISE MENTIONED?
THAT THEY FOLLOW THEIR OWN RULES THAT THEY MADE.
THAT'S SIMPLE ENOUGH.
RICKY?
COMMUNICATE.
I DIDN'T KNOW THE TITLE IX PROCESS UNTIL I WENT TO STAR.
AND HAD SOMEONE WALK ME THROUGH IT.
AND WHAT THE PROCESS WAS.
SO GETTING ON CAMPUS, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE THESE COURSES AS FRESHMEN OR THEY'LL PUT A HOLD ON YOUR ACCOUNT ABOUT WHERE YOU GET EDUCATED ABOUT SEXUAL ASSAULT ON CAMPUS.
BUT THEY DON'T TELL YOU THE TITLE IX PROCESS UNLESS YOU'RE A STUDENT WORKER AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE COURSE.
WHY WOULD KNOW ABOUT THAT?
CORRECT.
WITH ALL THAT IN MIND, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL A STUDENT STRUGGLING TO REPORT ON ASSAULT?
RIGHT.
RIGHT NOW WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM?
ALSO TO COMMENT ON WHAT RICKY SAID EARLIER, HE WAS MEMBERSING THE -- MENTIONING -- I'M SORRY.
I GET SO EMOTIONAL WITH THIS STUFF.
HE WAS MENTIONING LIKE THE -- LIKE WHAT WOULD BE THE POINT OF RELIVING ALL OF THAT.
AND I REMEMBER THROUGH THE MONTHS THAT THEY PUT ME THROUGH MAKING ME JUMP OUT OF MY CLASSES BECAUSE I WAS THE UNCOMFORTABLE ONE.
AND IT'S JUST -- YOU KNOW, IT MAY NOT SEEM WORTH IT, BUT IT IS.
AND DURING THE PROCESS, EVEN, I WAS LIKE, OH, MY GOSH, I SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAVE DONE THIS.
IT BROUGHT UP SO MUCH.
AND IT CAUSED SO MUCH MORE PAIN IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT WAY.
AND EVEN FROM HEARING LIKE CALISE'S STORY LIKE REPORTING IT SEEMS LIKE SO MUCH WORSE, BUT ESPECIALLY NOW, WITH THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HAVING, WE NEED TO BRING IT UP.
IT'S CHANGING FOR THE BETTER.
IT'S CHANGING FOR EVERYONE.
AND AS LONG AS WE ARE NOW BEING HEARD AND TO GO FORTH AND YOU'LL -- MAYBE NOT FEEL 100% BETTER, BUT YOU'LL FEEL THIS IF YOU GET A PIECE OF YOU BACK.
YEAH.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ENTIRE PROCESS CAN BE CHANGED, OVERHAULED.
AND THAT LEGISLATORS ARE NOW LOOKING AT THAT.
THEY'RE -- THERE ARE COMMITTEES THAT DIDN'T EXIST BEFORE THAT NOW EXIST.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT THIS VERY HARSHLY AND POINTEDLY.
THAT'S FOR SURE.
AND I SEE A BIG NOD FROM YOU.
AND STAR IS HEAVILY INVOLVED NOW SEEMS LIKE IN A WAY THEY WERE NOT BEFORE.
ABSOLUTELY.
AND THEY WERE TRYING TO BE BEFORE.
THEY HAD REACHED OUT TO LSU MULTIPLE TIMES OFFERING THEIR SERVICES AND I WAS GOING TO SAY ABOUT REPORTING, I TELL EVERY SINGLE PERSON INTALSA WHO ASKED ME TO GO TO STAR FIRST, HAVE SOMEONE WITH STAR WITH YOU THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS, BECAUSE RIGHTFULLY PEOPLE CAN'T TRUST LSU RIGHT NOW AND A LOT OF STUDENTS DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE, SO HAVING SOMEONE WITH YOU WHO DOES KNOW THE LEGAL RIGHTS IS SUPER IMPORTANT AND WILL HOPEFULLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS?
I WOULD SAY THAT YOUR FIRST STEP SHOULD BE GO TO STAR.
FIRST TIME I EVER DISCLOSED TO ANYONE, THANK GOD MY FRIEND KNEW WHAT STAR BEFORE.
STAR BEFORE LSU.
STAR BEFORE LSU.
AND STAR -- LIKE ELISABETH SAID, IT IS TAKING THE PROCESS OF TELLING THAT FIRST PERSON THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO HELP YOU IS SO LIBERATING.
I NOW FEEL LIKE I CAN TALK ABOUT THINGS.
I CAN HELP OTHERS.
BECAUSE OF STAR.
AND BECAUSE OF THE LEGAL SERVICES, THEIR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND JUST THE -- THE OVERALL ATTITUDE THAT STAR HIMSELF YOU GAIN TOWARDS TALKING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND OWNING YOUR EXPERIENCE AND BETTERING THE COMMUNITY AROUND BECAUSE OF YOUR EXPERIENCE.
SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WHAT UNIVERSITYINGS DO AFTER A -- UNIVERSITIES DO AFTER A SALT OCCURS, BUT WHAT ROLE IF ANY SHOULD YOUR UNIVERSITY PLAY IN PREVENTING SEXUAL ASSAULTS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE WITH STUDENTS?
I THINK IT IS ABSOLUTELY LSU'S RESPONSIBILITY TO FIRST CREATE A CULTURE WHERE PREDATORS AND ABUSERS KNOW THEY WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW LSU HAS SENT A VERY CLEAR MESSAGE THAT PREDATORS AND ABUSERS WILL BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU CAN HAVE AS MUCH RESOURCES, WEBSITES, LIGHTS AS YOU WANT, BUT IF PEOPLE ARE NOT BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE, NO ONE IS GOING TO REPORT, BECAUSE WHY WOULD THEY?
WHY WOULD THEY RELIVE THEIR TRAUMA AND PUT THEMSELVES THROUGH MORE PAIN KNOWING NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND IT'S PRETTY CLEAR FROM THE REPORT, THAT THEY HAVE LAID OUT THE CULTURE THAT LSU HAS HAD AND WHERE THE PROBLEMS LIE.
RICKY, ANYBODY ELSE?
I WOULD SAY LSU'S RESPONSIBILITY TO USE THE RESOURCES THEY ALREADY HAVE TO EDUCATE STUDENTS.
WE DO ONE TRAINING WHEN YOU GET ADMITTED TO LSU ABOUT EXECUTE AND -- SEXUAL ASSAULT AND THAT'S IT FOR YOUR ENTIRE CAREER IF NOT A STUDENT WORKER.
AND I THINK THAT'S INSANE.
PEOPLE SHOULD AT LEAST ANNUAL REMINDERS ABOUT NOT ONLY WHAT CONSENT IS AND HOW TO PREVENT SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BUT WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE IF THEY'RE ASSAULTED.
AND I WOULD SAY WHEN IT COMES TO ATHLETICS SPECIFICALLY, I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT WHY ARE WE NOT PUTTING RESOURCES FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS ON THE ATHLETIC FACILITIES?
YOU GO TO A GAME IN TIGER STADIUM AND EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, SEES THE ADS AND SEES COCA-COLA OR WHATEVER MIGHT BE, AND IT'S VERY SIMPLE TO BROADCAST THESE THINGS AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A CULTURE CHANGE.
PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THEY'LL BE PUNISHED AND PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THEY'LL BE SUPPORTED IF THEY COME FORWARD.
THAT'S A HUGE RIGHT NOW, IS EVERYTHING LSU HAS DONE HAS SEEN -- HAS SEEMED REACTIVE TO THE THINGS THAT HAVE COME OUT ABOUT THEM AND THEY'VE NEVER BEEN PRO-ACTIVE IN TACKLING THESE ISSUES.
SO I REALLY HOPE THEY WON'T JUST DO THE 18 RECOMMENDATIONS, THE REPORT GAVE THEM, THEY'LL CONTINUE TO ASKING STUDENTS AND SURVIVORS WHAT CAN BE BETTER AND ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES AS WELL.
IS ANYBODY OPTIMISTIC THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?
I'M OPTIMISTIC ONLY BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME FORWARD AND GOTTEN BEHIND THIS MOVEMENT TO MAKE LSU SAFER.
BUT I'M NOT OPTIC ON -- OPTIMISTIC ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE.
THE STUDENTS ARE TAKING THE BRUNT OF THE WORK.
THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO, BUT THEY ARE.
AND I THINK I'M OPTIMISTIC WITH HOW MUCH THE STUDENTS ARE PUSHING THE UNIVERSITY TO DO BETTER.
AND IF THESE STUDENTS KEEP PUSHING, THE UNIVERSITY HAS TO.
THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BUT THEY WILL.
BUT THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE ARE THE ONES THAT SHOULD BE TAKING THE LEAD.
RIGHT.
AND NOT THE STUDENTS IN THIS CASE.
ABSOLUTELY.
IF CHANGE CAN HAPPEN, IT CAN HAPPEN IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS BUT JUST SO IT HAPPENS.
YEAH.
THAT WOULD BE THE MAIN THING.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO BE HERE AND SHARING YOUR PERSONAL STORIES.
GRIPPING STORIES AND HELPING US GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING HOW STUDENTS ARE AFFECTED BY SEXUAL ASSAULT AND THE TITLE IX PROCESS.
OUR FUTURE ASSAULTS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES ARE HANDLED IS BEING LOOKED AT CLOSELY ACROSS THE STATE RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS HOW THESE UNIVERSITIES PLAN TO FIX THE ISSUES BUT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR BACK FROM CAROLINE ABOUT HER ARDUOUS TITLE IX CASE.
I FILED A REPORTED ONLINE.
I DON'T REMEMBER HOW I FOUND IT, BUT I FOUND AN ONLINE FORM.
SO THAT WAS IN 2018.
AND THEN IN FEBRUARY OF 2019, THAT'S WHEN WE HEARD THAT FINALLY LOOKING AT BOTH MY REPORT AND ELISABETH'S REPORT AND THEY WERE GOING TO READ IT AND DECIDE IF IT LOOKS LIKE MISCONDUCTED MIGHT HAVE OCCURRED AND IT'S WORSE -- WORTH INVESTIGATING.
A LITTLE MORE THAN A MONTH LATER THEY DECIDED, YES, IT IS WORTH VETTING.
WE'RE OPENING THE INVESTIGATION.
SO THAT WAS IN MARCH 2019.
AND THEN IT WASN'T UNTIL THE END OF MAY.
WE HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING AND THE INVESTIGATION WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE WITHIN 20 BUSINESS DAYS, SO WE WERE WELL PAST THAT POINT AND WE EMAILED JEFF SCOTT, THE INVESTIGATOR, AND WE ASKED, DID YOU FINISH, WHAT HAPPENED?
AND HE SAID, OH, YEAH, I DID FINISH.
I SENT IT ON TO MY -- WHAT'S HER -- JENNY STEWART WHO IS THE COORDINATOR.
DID YOU NOT HEAR ANYTHING.
AND WE SAID NO.
AND I DON'T -- 'DON'T THINK ANYONE, INCLUDING THE RESPONDET HAD HEARD, BUT JEFF HAD CONCLUDED HIS INVESTIGATION.
HE FOUND THE RESPONDENT WAS RESPONSIBLE, SO NOW THE RESPONDENT HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAL IF HE DOESN'T AGREE WITH WHAT JEFF FOUND.
SO HE DOESA PEOPLE.
HE'S SUPPOSED TO APPEAL WITHIN FIVE BUSINESS DAYS.
THEY GAVE HIM -- I THINK IT CAME OUT TO 15 BUSINESS DAYS.
SO SHE HAS 10 BUSINESS DAYS OR SOMETHING TO GO OVER THE APPEAL.
SHE DOESN'T MEET THAT DEADLINE EITHER.
WE EMAILED HER FOR UPDATES.
SHE IGNORED THEM.
FINALLY SHE SAID, OH, I THOUGHT I EMAILED YOU.
YEAH, I STILL SAID THAT HE WAS RESPONSIBLE, WHICH AGAIN, SHE HELPED HIM WRITE THE APPEAL SO I WAS THINKING HOW CAN YOU BE FAIR TO ME AND LIZ IF YOU'RE HELPING HIM WRITE THE APPEAL AND YOU'RE REVIEWING IT?
AND THEN A WEEK OR SOMETHING LATER, SHE SEND US ALL THE -- SENDS US ALL THE OUTCOMES WHICH WERE A DEFERRED SUSPENSION, WHICH MEANS DO IT AGAIN AND WE'LL SUSPEND YOU BUT YOU'RE NOT SUSPENDED RIGHT NOW.
AND TWO ANCHOR MANAGEMENT CLASSES, WHICH IS WEIRD BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALLY THINK THAT ANGER PLAYED A PART IN THIS.
SO I APPEALED BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS ENOUGH.
I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS OKAY FOR HIM TO STILL BE ON CAMPUS AND I REALLY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS OKAY THAT LIST WAS GOING TO HAVE TO SKIP CLASSES TO NOT BE NEAR HIM.
SO I APPEALED AND THIS IS THE LAST STAGE.
IT GOES TO A UNIVERSITY HEARING PANEL.
AND THEN THEY SAID OKAY, EVERYONE BREAK AND WE'RE GOING TO DECIDE WHAT THE OUTCOMES ARE.
AND SO WE DID AND I DON'T REMEMBER HOW LONG WE WAITED AND WE FINALLY CAME BACK IN AND THEY SAID HE WAS SUSPENDED FOR TWO SEMESTERS.
THAT WAS LIKE, DID I HEAR THIS RIGHT?
BECAUSE IT WAS LATE SEPTEMBER.
WE STARTED IN FEBRUARY.
AND IT HAD BEEN SO LONG AND THEN I FIND OUT MONTHS LATER, WHEN I SAW THE RESPONDENT AT A FOOTBALL GAME, AN LSU TOOK, HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PROHIBITED FROM BEING ON CAMPUS AT ALL.
HEED FILED ANOTHER APPEAL WHICH I DIDN'T KNOW HE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO.
SO WHILE THE APPEAL IS ONGOING, HE'S ALLOWED ON CAMEUS.
BUT NOBODY TOLD US THAT.
SO WE WEREN'T PREPARED AT ALL FOR IT.
SO IT'S VERY CLUNKY AT THE END.
LIKE IT REALLY IS THAT LITTLE BUILT AT THE END -- THAT LITTLE BIT AT THE END, IT'S TOTALLY UP TO LSU'S DISCRETION FOR THAT PERSON, HOW ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO AND NOT GOING TO DO.
STORIES LIKE CAROLINE'S ARE PROOF THAT THE CURRENT TITLE IX SYSTEM IS NOT DOING ENOUGH TO HANDLE THESE CASES.
AND JOINING US TO EXPLORE HOW THE STATE AND ITS UNIVERSITIES WILL MOVE FORWARD NOW TO PROTECT STUDENTS AND PROPERLY REPORT ABUSE IS OUR PANEL.
AND WE BEGIN WITH THOMAS GALI SAN, INTERIM PRESIDENT AT LSU.
DR. JAMES HENDERSON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AS WELL.
MORGAN LAMANDRE, LEGAL DIRECTOR OF STAR, IT'S A NONPROFIT THAT SUPPORTS SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ABUSE, STATE SENATOR REGINA BARROW, CHAIR OF THE SENATE SELECT COMMIT ON WOMEN AND CHILDREN, AND ALSO STATE SENATOR BETH MIZELL.
SHE'S THE LOUISIANA SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEM.
PRESIDENT, I'D LIKE TO START WITH YOU FIRST.
AND YOU WERE CONCERNED ENOUGH GOING BACK MONTHS TO HIRE THE FIRM HUSCH BLACKWELL TO DO AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF JUST WHAT WAS GOING ON AT LSU AND UNCOVER SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
THE RESULTS OF THAT OF COURSE HAVE -- SOMETHING THAT'S NOT STOPPED -- BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
DO YOU THINK THAT WE ARE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE LSU KNOWS THE PROBLEMS, KNOWS HOW TO CORRECT THEM, AND KNOWS HOW TO MOVE FORWARD?
I THINK WE ARE GETTING TO THE POINT.
AND ANDRE HAVING JUST WATCHED THIS SEGMENT WITH THE SURVIVORS, WE CONTINUE TO APOLOGIZE TO THOSE WHO WE HAD FAILED AND THANK THEM FOR COMING FORWARD.
ANDRE, WE WOULD NOT EXIST WITHOUT OUR STUDENTS.
OUR FUNCTION IS TO EDUCATE THEM.
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT AND WE CANNOT SUCCESSFULLY EDUCATE THEM IF THEY'RE NOT SAFE.
SO WE PUT THEIR SAFETY FIRST AND I THINK WE'VE LEARNED A WHOLE LOT FROM THE REPORT AND WE'VE TAKEN POSITIVE STEPS TO GET THIS RIGHT TO IMPROVE IT AND TO BEGIN TO CHANGE OUR CULTURE.
SO THE REPORT MADE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND IN LIGHT OF WHAT -- OF THAT, WHAT PLANS IS LSU DOING OR HAVE IN PLACE OR PUTTING IN PLACE AT THIS TIME TO PROTECT THE STUDENTS AND ABOVE ALL, PROVIDE A FAIR TITLE IX PROCESS?
WELL, WE'VE CREATED AN OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS IN TITLE IX THAT REPORTS DIRECTLY TO THE PRESIDENT.
PREVIOUSLY THE TITLE IX COORDINATOR HAD REPORTED TO GENERAL COUNSEL AND THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST THERE BECAUSE THE COORDINATOR IS SUPPOSED TO BE INVESTIGATIONS AND GENERALLY COUNSEL EXISTS TO INVESTIGATE.
WE PUT JAN CASSIDY IN CHARGE OF IT AS INTERIM VICE PRESIDENT.
WE'RE CURRENTLY ADDING STAFF BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HUSCH BLACKWELL FOUND IS WE WERE WOEFULLY UNDERSTAFFED.
SO WE'LL BE HIRING A CASE MANAGER, AN DIBBLE INVESTIGATOR, WE'LL BE -- ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATOR, ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR THAT OFFICE AS WELL AS FILL SOMETHING OTHER POSITIONS.
WE'VE TOTALLY CHANGED OUR WEB PAGE SO ALL OUR RESOURCES ARE IN ONE PLACE.
BEFORE I CALLED HUSCH BLACKWELL, I CALLED STAR.
WHERE -- WE'RE WORKING WITH STAR ON OUR TRAINING.
THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT HAS RESTAINED -- RETAINED STAR FOR THEIR TRAINING, AND LIVE RESPECT AND A CALL TO MEN.
WE'VE ALSO MADE CLEAR TO EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO REPEATEDLY, THAT IF YOU ARE NOT A CONFIDENTIAL ADVISER, YOU ARE A RESPONSIBLE PERSON AND YOU MUST REPORT ANY INCIDENTS, VIOLATIONS OF TITLE IX, OR IF YOU HAVE REASONABLE GROUNDS TO BELIEVE THERE HAS BEEN A VIOLATION OF TITLE IX, OUR POLICE ARE NOW -- THEY'VE BEEN DIRECTED -- WE'VE DIRECTED THEM TO REPORT ALL TITLE IX VIOLATIONS TO THE TITLE IX COORDINATOR.
WE'VE REFOCUSED AND REEMPHASIZED LIGHTHOUSE, WHICH IS OUR SURVIVORS SUPPORT ORGANIZATION ON CAMPUS.
WE ARE CURRENTLY -- I THINK TODAY OR TOMORROW -- I WILL SIGN A POLICY THAT MAKES CLEAR THAT ANYONE WHO, WITHOUT GOOD CAUSE, WHO HAS KNOWLEDGE OF A TITLE 9 VIOLATION AND DOES NOT DISCLOTHES IT, WILL BE TERMINATED FROM LSU -- DISCLOSE IT, WILL BE TERMINATED FROM LYSES.
THOSE ARE AMONG THE STEPS WE'RE TAKING.
WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF WORK TO DO.
WE BEGAN THAT WORK IMMEDIATELY AND THE WORK CONTINUES.
A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED JUST SINCE THIS PAST WEEK.
DERRIUS GUICE'S NAME WILL BE ERASED FROM THE BOOKS.
HE'LL NO LONGER BE ALLOWED ON CAMPUS.
CORRECT.
AND THEY'VE SEPARATED TIES WITH TAYLOR REPORTED -- PORTER CHA HAS REPRESENTED LSU.
SO BIG CHANGES THERE.
PRESIDENT HENDERSON, WHAT PRACTICES DO U.L.
STUDENTS -- SCHOOLS HAVE SOME PLACE OR PUTTING IN PLACE AS THIS THING HAS PLAYED OUT TO PROTECT STUDENTS AND MAKE SURE THAT TITLE IX IS WORKING FOR THEM?
ANDRE, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO WE DID A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF OUR POLICY ENVIRONMENT AND FOUND SOME COMMON SENSE GAPING HOLES.
WE FOUND SOME MISALIGNMENT WITH PREVAILING LAW AND WITH BEST PRACTICE.
SO WE VALLEYED OUR OPERATIONS -- REVAMPED OUR TITLE IX OPERATIONS AND OUR POLICIES.
WE PUT SOME PLACE SOME VERY COMMON SENSE MEASURES, ONES THAT PREVENT STUDENTS FROM TRANSFERRING FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL THAT ARE IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF AN INVESTIGATION, IF YOU WILL.
WE PUT IN PLACE SOME MEASURES FOR ATHLETIC COACHES AND FOR PRESIDENTS THAT VIOLATION, VERY SIMILAR TO LSU'S PROVISION, WE DID THIS LAST YEAR, VIOLATIONS OF TITLE IX ARE GROUNDS FOR TERMINATION WITH CAUSE.
SO IT'S CREATING A POLICY ENVIRONMENT THAT ENSURES THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF IS THE PARAMOUNT CONCERN.
BUT THE POLICY ENVIRONMENT IS JUST ONE PIECE.
BECAUSE THE POLICY IS IMIT -- IMPLEMENTED BY HUMAN BEINGS.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CULTURE THAT NANDZ PEOPLE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND THAT CAN BE QUITE SIMPLE TO STAY IN THE ABSTRACT.
WHEN YOU ENFORCE IT PACs MORE CHALLENGING.
THERE'S AN, AIOM CALLED RE -- EVENTS CALLED RESPONSE EQUALS OUTCOMING.
WE TRY TO MINIMIZE THOSE EVENTS BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR RESPONSE AND ULTIMATELY THAT'S GOING TO DETERMINE THE OUTCOME.
THANK YOU, SIR.
MORGAN LAMANDRE, STUDENTS HAVE GONE TO STAR.
FOR COUNSELING AND LEAN ON STAR FOR SUPPORT DURING ALL OF THIS.
WHAT I THINK IS MISSING OR HAS BEEN MISSING IN PLACE AT LSU AND IN TITLE 9 PROCESS THAT HAS CAUSED STUDENTS TO BE FRUSTRATED AND FEELING LIKE THEY'VE BEEN YOU ARE HEARD?
-- UNHEARD?
THANK YOU.
STAR DOES PROVIDE FREE COUNSELING, ADVOCACY, AND LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.
AND ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE WE HAVE WORKED WITH UNIVERSITIES BY -- WITH STUDENTS IS REPRESENTING SURVIVORS THROUGH THEIR TITLE IX PROCESS.
AND I THINK WHEN I LOOK AT THE PERSPECTIVE, I LOOK AT THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE TITLE IX PROCESS FROM THAT STUDENT'S PERSPECTIVE.
AND ADMINISTRATORS I FIND TEND TO LOOK AT TITLE IX FROM MORE OF A RISK MANAGEMENT AND LIABILITY PERSPECTIVE.
AND WHEN THEY'RE REVIEWING THEIR PROCESS, THEY TEND TO EVALUATE THEM WITH A CHECK THE BOX COMPLIANT VIEW.
BUT STUDENTS DON'T GO THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH THAT IN MIND.
STUDENTS GO THROUGH THE TBRO SELLS TRYING TO NAVIGATE -- PROCESS TRYING TO NAVIGATE A SYSTEM WHERE THEY'RE NOT AN ATTORNEY.
THEY'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH DIFFERENT SYSTEMS, WHO DO I REPORT TO, WHERE DO I HAVE TO GO NEXT, AND IT'S NOT STUDENT-CENTERED TYPICALLY AND THE PROCESS IS NOT TYPICALLY LAID OUT IN A WAY THAT STUDENTS CAN EASILY UNDERSTAND IT.
MOST OF THESE STUDENTS HAVE UNDOUBTEDLY EXPERIENCED SOME FORM OF TRAUMA.
SO WHEN YOU'RE ALSO FLOODED WITH SO MUCH INFORMATION, THEY TEND TO BE -- GET OVERWHELMED.
SO WE REALLY NEED THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THESE UNIVERSITIES TO LOOK AT THEIR PROCESS FROM A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE TO SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO NAVIGATE THE PROCESS.
I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST KEY THAT IS MISSING WHEN EVALUATING THESE PROCESSES.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE POLICY.
IT'S HOW A STUDENT CAN REALLY GO THROUGH THE PROCESS IN A WAY THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND IT AND THEY KNOW WHAT THEY CAN OR CANNOT DO.
THOSE WE TALKED TO WERE CONFUSED.
THEY FELT UNHEARD.
AND THEY FELT THE PROCESS WAS A DIFFICULT ONE.
SENATOR BARROW, YOU'RE THE CHAIR.
SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON WOMEN AND CHILDREN, WHICH HAS CONVENED REGULARLY TO ADDRESS THESE TITLE IX ISSUES.
WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF THE COMMITTEE REGARDING TITLE IX?
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.
AND THE GOALS ARE VERY SIMPLE.
THE GOALS WAS TO LOOK AT WHERE THERE WERE LEGISLATIVE GAPS OR POLICY GAPS AND TO BEGIN TO BRIDGE THOSE GAPS.
BUT BEFORE I GO FURTHER, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SAY THIS, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REAL IMPORTANT.
I THANLT TO THANK THE LEADERSHIP OF THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, PRESIDENT CORTEZ AND SPEAKER CLAY SNYDER, BECAUSE THEY INITIALLY WERE RIGHT ON BOARD FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
THEY MADE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE NEEDED TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE WERE ABLE TO DO.
AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK CHAIRMAN CLIO FIELDS BECAUSE CERTAINLY THIS COULD HAVE BEEN ON -- IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER THE AUSPICES OF EDUCATION, BUT WE TOOK IT ON AS THE SELECT COMMITTEE OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
AND I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO MISTAKENLY THINK IT'S JUST A GROUP OF WOMEN, BECAUSE NO, WE HAVE OUR COLLEAGUES WHO ARE WORKING ALONGSIDE WITH US TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
BUT THERE WERE POLICY PUT IN PLACE AND WHAT WE RECOGNIZED IN GOING THROUGH AND HEARING THE HEARINGS WAS THERE WERE A LOT OF GAPSZ IN THOSE POLICIES.
AND SO GOING FORWARD, I KNOW THAT SENATOR BETH MIZEEL, APARTMENTIF AMY FREEMAN -- REPRESENTATIVE AMY FREEMAN HAVE SIMILAR BILLS, BUT I HAVE A BILL THAT WOULD LOOK AT A CONTINUAL PATTERN OF LOOKING AT WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN PLACE AND ALWAYS EVALUATING IT TO MAKE SURE NOTHING ELSE IS FALLING THROUGH THE CRACK.
SO OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE WE BRIDGE THE GAP AND ENSURE AND MAKE SURE AND OPPORTUNITIES -- STUDENTS KNOW THAT THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD AND WE'RE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING IN OUR -- POSSIBLE TO LEGISLATE, MAYBE NOT HEARTS BUT WE GO LEGISLATE BEHAVIOR.
ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT, SENATOR.
AND SENATOR BIRTH MIZELL, WHAT ROLE CAN SELECTION PLAY IN IMPROVING THE TITLE IX SYSTEM?
YOU'RE INVOLVEMENT IN THIS -- INVOLVED IN THIS VERY MUCH SO.
ARE THERE ADDITIONAL LAWS THAT SHOULD BE PASSED OR COULD BE PASSED AND ANY LAWS THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING RIGHT NOW?
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US ON ALL HERE.
I'M SO PROUD TO BE IN THIS ROOM WITH THE PLAYERS IN THIS CONVERSATION.
AND IF I COULD SAY, I'M GOING TO BOUNCE IT RIGHT BACK TO SENATOR BARROW, THAT SHE TOOK SUCH A ROLE OF DEDICATION WITH THE SELECT COMMITTEE.
AND TO HAVE -- I THINK THE REAL BENEFIT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE WAS THAT WE HAD ALL THE PLAYERS IN ONE ROOM.
WE HAD VICTIMS THAT HAD NEVER TOLD THEIR STORY PUBLICLY.
WE HAD THE LEADERSHIP OF THE UNIVERSITIES.
AND WE HAD PEOPLE WILLING TO ENGAGE TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE IN THAT RELATIONSHIP.
SO IT WAS -- IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT IN ORDER FOR US TO BE IN THAT CONVERSATION TO BRING THE LEGISLATION ABOUT TO FIX IT.
AND I KNOW SENATOR BARROW HAS A BILL.
I'M CARRYING A BILL WITH REP DAVIS ON THE HOUSE SIDE THAT WOULD REPAIR THE LOOPHOLES THAT WERE FROM ACT 172.
172 ASKED NICELY FOR CERTAIN THINGS TO TAKE PLACE ON COMING CAMPUSES WITH TITLE IX.
THE BILL THIS YEAR WILL HAVE A REQUIREMENT THAT THINGS BE DONE.
SO A LOT OF THE MAYS OR SHALLS -- ARE SHALLS AND I THINK THAT CAME OUT OF THE CONVERSATION THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE IT A REQUIREMENT NOT JUST -- WE KNOW THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND WE ASSUME YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT.
THAT APPARENTLY HAS NOT WORKED.
SO REPRESENTATIVE FREEMAN HAS A BILL ON THE HOUSE SIDE.
AND PRESIDENT GALLIGAN AND I HAVE TALKED AND I COMMEND HIM.
HE'S BEEN ENGAGED IN EVERY CONVERSATION AS WELL AS PRESIDENT HENDERSON FROM THE SYSTEM.
AND JUST TO KNOW THEIR EARS ARE OPEN TO ALL -- YOU KNOW, ALL PARTS OF THE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN CRITICAL.
BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO, AND I BELIEVE SENATOR BARROW TO, GET THE BEHAVIOR AS A NORM AND THEN THERE NOT BE A REQUIREMENT FOR SUCH OVERSIGHT AS THIS LEGISLATION IS PUTTING IN PLACE.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATION THIS YEAR.
LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING.
SOMETHING WE HEARD STUDENTS SAY TIME AND TIME AGAIN, WAS THAT THEY WOULD REQUEST TO BE TAKEN OUT OF A CLASS THE ABUSER WAS IN BUT WERE NOT.
WHAT IS PROPOSED TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS RIGHT AWAY?
ACTUALLY, THAT -- I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S IN ANY OF THE LEGISLATION AS THEY NOW STAND.
BUT THAT CAN CERTAINLY BE AMENDED INTO THE LEGISLATION.
WE ONLY HAD THE FIRST HEARING IN COMMITTEE.
SO THERE'S MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO INSERT ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE INTO THE BILL.
BUT MOST -- I'LL TELL YOU HOW IMPACTFUL THE SELECT COMMITTEE HEARINGS WERE.
STAFF ON THE SENATE SIDE SAT AND LISTENED TO THE COMMITTEE AND WENT THROUGH PUTTING IN SPECIFIC ITEMS INTO MY BILL SO THAT WE COULD COVER THOSE LOOPHOLES.
SO THEY WERE VERY ENGAGED AND WERE DRAWN IN TO THE CONVERSATION IN A VERY PRO-ACTIVE WAY.
AND THAT'S HELPFULFUL.
-- HELPFUL.
AND I APPRECIATE THE PRESIDENT SAYING THEY WOULD TERMINATE AN EMPLOYEE THAT DID NOT ACT RESPONSIBLY WITH A REPORT AND THAT LANGUAGE IS IN THE BILL AS WELL.
WE SELLER HAD TALKED TO THE STUDENTS -- WE EARLIER HAD TALKED TO THE STUDENTS ABOUT MANY THINGS.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES.
BUT THEY SAID THAT THE SCHOOLS IN PREVENTING SEXUAL ASSAULT, THE DIFFICULTY OF THAT.
BUT I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU ALL THE SAME QUESTION.
INSPED OF -- INSTEAD OF BEING AFTER THE FACT, AFTER AN EVENT OCCURS, WHAT ARE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PUT IN PLACE NOW THAT WOULD PREVENT THE EVENT FROM ADVANTAGES TO BEGIN WITH?
-- FROM HAPPENING TO BEGIN WITH?
I THINK MORGAN USED THE WORD CULTURE.
AND I THINK CULTURE IS CRITICAL.
AND IT HAS TO START WITH TRAINING.
HAS TO START WITH UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE.
AND IT HAS TO START WITH EMPATHY THAT WE HAVE TO BE MORE SENSITIVE TO SURVIVORS, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THEIR SITUATION AND MAKE OUR PROCESSES MORE STUDENT-CENTERED RATHER THAN COMPLIANT-CENTERED.
BUT IT'S GOT TO BE CULTURE.
WE GOT TO GET TO THE PLACE, ANDRE, WHERE SOMEBODY WHO FINDS THEMSELVES -- MAYBE MEANS -- MAYBE MEANS "NO."
"NO" MEANS NO.
DON'T DO IT.
I'VE HEARD OF AN INCIDENT, THEN I CAN'T GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT UNTIL I REPORT IT.
SO WE GOT TO WORK ON CHANGING OUR CULTURE.
IF EMPATHY WAS LACKING AND IT WAS IT APPEARS, IT CERTAINLY HAS NOT BEEN SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THIS AND AFTER A REPORT HAS COME OUT AND I KNOW THAT STUDENTS -- EVERYBODY HAS APPRECIATED THAT VERY MUCH.
ONE MEMBER IS NOT HERE TODAY, BUT WE TALKED TO HER EARLIER, ONE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY.
THAT'S TANYA TUTT LOW, PRESIDENT OF LOYOLA UNIVERSITY.
SHE'S A LAWYER AND ALSO HAS EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF ANY DISCRIMINATION AND TITLE IX LAW.
WE TALKED TO HER BEFOREHAND.
HERE'S WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY.
PREVENTION IS THE BALL GAME.
RIGHT?
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE AFTERMATH OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, IT'S REALLY TOO LATE.
THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE.
IT'S INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO KNOW HOW TO HANDLE IT AND WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER IF WE MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE?
THE SAD PART IS WE HAVEN'T HAD NEARLY ENOUGH RESEARCH ON A NATIONAL LEVEL OF WHAT KINDS OF PREVENTION WORKS.
AND THE OTHER HARD PART FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IS THAT OFTEN PEOPLE'S CHARACTER IS PRETTY WELL BAKED BY THE TIME THEY'RE 18 AND GET TO COLLEGE.
THE DATA SHOWS THAT -- SOME OF THE HIGHEST RISK AREAS FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT ARE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL REALLY.
IT STARTS EARLIER THAN COLLEGE.
AND IT'S HARDER TO INFLUENCE THE CHARACTER AND THE ETHICS AND THE SELFISHNESS OF A POTENTIAL RAPIST BY THE TIME THEY GET TO COLLEGE.
BUT SCHOOLS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ARE DOING SOME GREAT WORKING OF TRYING THESE PREVENTION PROGRAMS, PARTICULARLY THINGS LIKE BY STANDARD INTERVENTION, BECAUSE YOU TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO IF YOU SEE YOUR FRIEND DOING THE WRONG THING, BECAUSE NONE OF US THINK THAT WE'RE CAPABLE OF BAD THING OURSELVES BUT WE COULD THINK THROUGH IT AS OTHER PEOPLE.
IT TALKS ABOUT HOW YOU KEEP YOUR FRIEND FROM BEING IN A HIGH-RISK SITUATION WITHOUT SOUNDING VICTIM-BLAMING BY TELLING YOU WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T AND SHOULD DO.
THAT SEEMS TO HAVE SOME IMPACT, BUT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF DATA TO SHOW WHAT REALLY DOES WORK.
AND I WISH THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, NIH, ALL OF THESE SCIENCE ORGANIZATIONS WOULD PUT A LOT MORE EFFORT INTO THIS, BECAUSE THE ECONOMIC HEALTH IMPACTS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, NOT JUT IN HIGHER ED, ARE PRETTY DEVASTATING.
SENATORS, THE SELECT COMMITTEE, IS IT MORE TO MAKE THOSE INVOLVED IN TITLE 9 MISHANDLINGS ACCOUNTABLE OR IS IT TO DEVELOP LAWS TO PREVENT THINGS FROM BEING MISHANDLED?
BOTH.
OKAY.
IT'S BOTH.
SO WE HAVE TO DEFINITELY HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE WHO HAVE DONE, HAVE HAD WRONG ACTIONS, AND I APPLAUD THE UNIVERSITY BEFORE BEGINNING TO TAKE STEPS TO BEGIN TO ADDRESS THAT.
BUT THEN AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE POLICY ISSUES.
ADDRESS THE ISSUES WHERE WE HAD GAPS.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS GOETZ TO BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AS WE CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD IS WE CONTINUE TO KEEP LISTENING TO THE STUDENTS, BECAUSE THEY'LL BE THE GATE KEEPERS WHO WILL KEEP US INFORMED ABOUT THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE WORKING, THAT MAY NOT BE WORKING.
AND SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO STAY ENGAGED WITH THEM.
ONE OF THE REQUESTS THAT WAS MADE BY ONE OF THE STUDENTS WHEN THEY CAME TO COMMITTEE, WAS FOR US TO ACTUALLY HOST THE EVENT OR HOST A MEETING ON WEEKEND WHERE THEY CAN COME AND THEN HAVE -- PICK BETWEEN GOING TO CLASS OR HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE PLAN TO DO AS A WOMEN'S GROUP.
WE WAN TO DO -- PLAN TO DO THAT.
WE PLAN TO GO OUT.
IT'S NOT JUST FROM LSU.
BUT AROUND THE ENTIRE STATE BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, BOTH.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MORGAN LAMANDRE, SORT OF A FOLLOW-UP TO THIS, YOU'VE PREVIOUSLY -- YOU SAID THAT SURVIVORS NEED TO HAVE OTHER LEGAL REMEDIES OUTSIDE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
SO WHY IS THAT SO IMPORTANT?
WELL, I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR SURVIVORS, JUSTICE COMES IN MANY FORMS FOR THEM.
AND AS YOU SAID ABOUT THE STUDENTS AND BEING IN CLASSES, FOR A SURVIVOR MAYBE THEY DON'T WANT THE STUDENT TO BE EK PELED BECAUSE -- EXPELLED BUT THEY SIMPLY DON'T WANT THEM IN THEIR CLASS.
AND I THINK FOR SURVIVORS, GOING THROUGH A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM PROCESS, AS YOU KNOW -- BRUTAL AS TITLE IX PROCESS CAN BE, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM CAN BE EVEN HARDER FOR SURVIVORS.
SO SURVIVORS, WE NEED TO ASK SURVIVORS WHAT JUSTICE LOOKS LIKE FOR THEM AND JUSTICE FOR SURVIVORS LIKE I SAID, COMES IN MANY FORMS AND IT MAY JUST SIMPLY BE I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO GET OUT AFTER CLASS THAT I REGISTERED FOR.
I JUST WANT THE PERPETRATOR TO YOU KNOW, BE REMOVED FROM MY CLASS AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ME RESCHEDULING MY CLASSES.
AND SO FOR SURVIVORS, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ASSUME SURVIVORS WANT THE MOST PUNITIVE TYPES OF PUNISHMENT AND THAT'S SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
THAT MAKES THE PROCESS EASIER FOR SURVIVORS, TO REALLY START WITH WHAT THIS JUSTICE -- WHAT DOES JUSTICE LOOK LIKE FOR YOU.
I KNOW YOU GET THE FEELING THAT WE CAN SIT HERE AND TALK ABOUT THIS FOR HOURS AND HOURS.
BUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE THE TIME FOR.
THIS IS A WEEK WHERE LSU AND INTERVIEWING FOR ITS NEW PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT GALA GIN, YOU HAVE -- GAL GAGIN.
YOU HAVE WITHDRAWN YOUR NAME FROM THE RACE.
YOU'LL GO BACK TO LAW SCHOOL WHERE YOUR PASSION WAS TO BEGIN WITH.
CRLTS ON THAT -- CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.
DR. HENDERSON, YOU'LL BE INTERVIEWING FOR THE LSU POSITION.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL COME UP.
AND SO WHAT WOULD BE YOUR FIRST ACTIONS IF YOU BECOME PRESIDENT OF LSU TO RESTORE TRUST IN THE SCHOOL AND ITS ADMINISTRATORS?
THAT'S A BIG ONE.
WE CAN'T ACHIEVE OUR POTENTIAL OF OUR STATE WITHOUT A STRONG LSU.
AND PRESIDENT GALLIGAN HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB THE LAST 15 MONTHS OR BETTER IN THAT ROLE.
AND THERE WERE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT NOBODY COULD HAVE PREDICTED THAT HE WOULD INHERENT.
BUT I LEAD THE SYSTEM NOVEMBER YOU NINE INSTITUTION THAT IS SERVE 92,000 STUDENTS, HAS A 10.9 BILLION-DOLLAR ECONOMIC IMPACT ON LYSES.
IT'S A BIG -- ON LAST.
IT'S A BIG JOB.
BUT LSU IS OUR FLAGSHIP.
AND IT CANNOT BE THE FLAGSHIP OF LOUISIANA UNLESS IT HAS THE STRESS WITH THE STUDENTS.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT COMPLIANCE.
WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS.
WE CAN'T BE LIMITED IN OUR THINKING AS INSTITUTIONS TO WHAT'S REQUIRED OF US.
IT'S NOT JUST THIS IS WHAT YOU MUST DO.
WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT THE THINGS WE SHOULD DO.
ASK ONE OF THOSE -- AND ONE OF THOSE IS INNERS STYNES WRAWCIAL COMMUNITY.
WE TONIGHT HAVE TO BE MANDATED BY LAW ABOUT INCIDENTS OF SEXUAL VIRUS.
WE DON'T HAVE TO BE REQUIRED BY LAW TO EDUCATE ABOUT HOW TO REDUCE THE OCCURRENCE OF EXECUTE VIOLENCE ON OUR CAMPUS.
AND ALL OF THOSE OPEN CONVERSATIONS, BEING VERY TRANSPARENT AND VERY COMMUNE CA FIF S WHAT -- COMMUNICATIVE, THAT'S WHAT RESTORES OUR TRUST.
THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR OUR DISCUSSION.
I WANT TO THANK PRESIDENT GALLIGAN, PRESIDENT HENDERSON, MISMORGAN LAMANDRE, SENATOR MIZEEL FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL WIN PUT.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO COMMENT ON TONIGHT'S SHOW BY VISITING LPB.ORG/ART PUBLIC SQUARE AND YOU CAN CLICK ON THE "JOIN THE CONVERSATION" LINK.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE WITH US TONIGHT AND HAVE A SAVE EVENING.
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