Gov. Abigail Spanberger sent a letter to VCU, among other Virginia universities, calling for it to uphold safety for students from sexual violence.
Spanberger asked institutions to review their sexual violence policies and update them appropriately, according to the letter.
The letter follows recent investigations at Cornell University and Radford University regarding allegations of sexual assault, according to ABC 13. The letter did not directly mention the investigations.
The letter stated that institutions must certify with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia that they provide the Office of the Secretary of Education with a copy of procedures, ensure that workers have reviewed and understand policies and procedures, assess the adequacy of existing training and education for students, faculty, and staff and reinforce expectations for accountability, with timely reporting and follow-ups.
Universities had to certify with SCHEV no later than Oct. 31, according to state law.
“We have an obligation to ensure that these systems are working as intended. Policies must be clearly understood — both by those administering them and by those whom these policies serve — and must be consistently implemented and enforced,” the letter stated.
VCU students held a walkout last month, demanding the university be transparent about who they are holding accountable for sexual violence, according to a previous CT report.
Jake Burns, Public Relations Specialist for VCU Police, stated in an email that the President’s Office supports all efforts to ensure that students have a safe environment at VCU.
Burns stated that educating the VCU community about prevention and reporting options happens year-round and includes mandatory Ram Ready orientation modules for new students, direct outreach at community events by advocates, required training for VCU faculty and staff and workshops for VCU-affiliated organizations.
“In recent weeks, VCU Police have engaged multiple student-focused groups on this topic to evaluate if gaps in education and outreach may exist from a student perspective,” Burns stated.