USC President acknowledges delay in reporting suspected crimes at Frat houses – CBS Los Angeles

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LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – USC President Carol Folt has admitted that the university has waited too long to inform the college community of allegations of drugs and possible sexual assault at fraternity parties.

The allegations rocked the campus and prompted the USC Interfraternity Council to halt all social activities in campus fraternities after the Department of Public Safety announced the allegations of sexual abuse and drugs slipped into stores. drinks at parties at Sigma Nu fraternity, where Chapter President Ryan Schiffilea has been confirmed by police as a suspect of sexual assault and in other fraternities.

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“At the end of September, RSVP (Relationship & Sexual Violence Prevention Services) received between five and seven confidential disclosures of possible drugs and possible sexual assault in a fraternity and took the exceptional step of sharing this information more widely,” wrote Folt in a published letter. Friday. “We now know that there has been a worrying delay in taking action on this information, and more specifically in its assessment for community notification. This has highlighted to me the gray area of ​​our processes when reports arrive in RSVP, and the challenge of marrying a highly confidential help desk, which may have limited details, with the need to inform and notify. the community.

USC informed the community of the allegations on October 20, in a campus alert that Folt said was linked to two separate series of events involving the same fraternity house.

From September 25 to 30, students revealed to RSVP that between five and seven students may have been victims of drugs and possible sexual assault at a fraternity party. Normally, “except in exceptional circumstances,” reports to RSVP are not shared with campus security officials to protect the privacy of students reporting incidents, the letter said.

However, “On September 30, 2021, given the nature of the concerns, RSVP made an exceptional decision to share a general summary of the information, while maintaining individual privacy, with DPS, Student Health, Student Affairs and the office of Campus Wellbeing and Crisis Intervention, ”Folt wrote. “We’re still investigating what happened next, but there was clearly some uncertainty as to how to assess and handle the information, and it was not immediately forwarded to Clery’s office or to others. Instead, the groups that received the RSVP information shared the report with the EEO-TIX desktop and began working to determine how to proceed. A meeting was subsequently scheduled for Monday, October 18, 2021.

Then, on October 16, a student reported to the DPS that she had been sexually assaulted by an individual member of the same fraternity.

“The DPS and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) responded immediately,” Folt’s letter reads. “The university has provided all available information to the LAPD, which has complete jurisdiction over criminal investigations of sexual assault on campus. The university’s EEO-TIX office has also opened an investigation into the case under the Prohibition of Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation Policy, which is ongoing.

“…

“We recognize that it was upsetting to receive this information late in the evening, but once we determined that it raised serious and continuing concerns about campus safety, we wanted to pass the information on to our community. We are looking at how to best convey information like this in the future, ”Folt wrote.

On October 23, USC officials received additional reports of sexual assault, as well as additional reports of drugs or drugs placed in drinks without consent, some in other fraternity houses this fall, as well. than the behavior of previous years.

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The DPS did not name the other fraternities listed as the subject of allegations.

Folt has suspended a student – suspected of being Schiffilea – in connection with some of the allegations.

“Ryan Schiffilea is a suspect but has not been arrested. This is an ongoing investigation, ”Los Angeles Police Department Officer Rosario Cervantes told the City News Service last week.

“Such behavior is deeply disturbing, it hurts people and goes against everything we stand for as a community,” Folt wrote in an email to the USC community at the time. “We are sorry for the pain and anguish this causes.”

USC has also placed Sigma Nu – whose motto is “Excel with Honor” – on temporary suspension, prohibiting her from hosting or organizing any activities, parties or other social gatherings at the Fellowship House.

The DPS announced on October 24 that it would implement the Interfraternity Council notice banning fraternity social activities on campus.

“The university has also taken steps to strengthen security and strengthen supervision on and around 28th Street,” the DPS said.

After the allegations came to light, some students marched past the Sigma Nu House and some even called for an end to the Greek campus life system.

“The fraternity is concerned about these serious allegations and will seek to work with university officials to investigate the matter. The fellowship will determine its future actions based on the investigation, ”Sigma Nu national headquarters said in a statement.

Campus police urged anyone with information about alleged assaults to call 213-740-6000 for the University Park campus (UPC), 323-442-1000 for the Health Sciences Campus (HSC) or 213-485-6571 for the southwestern division of the LAPD. .

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Calls to LAPD outside of business hours or on weekends can be made at 877-527-3247 and anonymous advice can be called to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submitted online.

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