Statement from Wichita State University President John Bardo
That's not true. Here are the most relevant facts:
- In April 2013, a woman told Wichita Police that a Wichita State basketball player had sexually assaulted her.
- The woman wasn't a student.
- The alleged assault didn't occur on campus.
- The incident was investigated by the Wichita Police Department and no charges were brought.
- The Wichita Police Department, the Sedgwick County Prosecutor's Office, the University Police Department and at least two Title IX administrators were all involved in a timely way.
- The university fully cooperated with law enforcement authorities. There was no cover-up, nor any violation of applicable federal laws.
- No student's safety was ever threatened.
The Wichita Eagle identified Dr. Wade Robinson as its primary source. The article reported correctly that Dr. Robinson, vice president for student affairs, was told several months ago that his employment at the university will end this summer.
Two federal statutes -- known as Title IX and the Clery Act -- govern the university's actions when a complaint of sexual assault occurs. These laws protect students who are victims and keep all students safe.
The federal laws didn't apply in this case because the alleged incident occurred off-campus, the victim wasn't a student and Sara Morris, the current chief of university police, had determined there was no ongoing safety threat -- in fact, or under federal law. Had there been a Title IX issue, the university would have had 60 days to investigate and resolve the issue. Had there been a real threat to safety, the university would have immediately issued a Clery Act-required notification to the campus community.
In summary, there was never a student safety issue. There were no late or missed notifications. Everything was handled appropriately by law enforcement officials and the university.