Rape Report Violates Honor Code? Really?

Whoa whoa whoa. Yes, this is a gross and disgusting case that is being handled horribly by the administration and other powers that be at the university, but the Honor Court is far from secret. It's a tribunal of students used mostly to judge their peers in cases of plagiarism and cheating and squabbles in the dorms that can't be resolved by Resident Advisors or Community Directors.

As ashamed as I am of my alma mater, please get facts straight. Because why would a secret, clandestine court of oppression have a website? http://studentconduct.unc.edu/

Because the administration is lazy, only interested in their bottom dollar, and like to pass off problems wherever they crop up. I say this from experience (though, thankfully not this kind of experience). At least know that there are students, staff, faculty and alumni protesting this (and other cases that have come out recently) daily.

Though the real way to get the administration's attention is to contact the General Alumni Association, since alumni donations are the biggest source of fundraising, and urge them to back the protests. Or, if you know alumni with the funds to donate, ask them to pull financial support. Trust me, losing money will make them pay attention.

Wait.

It doesn't appear to have specifically been a rape case: http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2012/12/victims-speak-up-on-assault

As a freshman, Gambill was continually abused — sexually and verbally — by her long-term boyfriend.

When the relationship ended, she said she was met with months of stalking, threats and harassment.

Those actions lead her to press charges with the Honor Court. In her trial, Gambill said she was forced to answer irrelevant and inappropriate questions.

Click to expand...

The time issue is not clear at all, but by my reading, she reported the assault(s)/rape(s) to the school well after the fact. And that's a serious problem, both for her and the school.

And according to The Daily Tar Heel, the make-up of the Honor Court at the time:

From January to August, all cases were heard by a special University Hearings Board, a panel consisting of two Honor Court students, two faculty members and one administrative chair.

Click to expand...

As I said, I'm inclined to believe her, to accept that she's gotten a very raw deal. But unfortunately, the best path for her was to report the crimes immediately to the police and she did not do that (I realize it's not a simple thing to ask, though).

She reported them later to the school, did not get any satisfaction (though the school didn't handle things particularly well, imo), and so has been speaking out about what she claims happened.

Supposing--for a moment--that she's not being truthful, what would that mean? How should the school respond?

If my ex-girlfriend in college was running around telling everyone I had raped her or the like and I knew I had done no such thing, should I be able to complain to the school? I'm not sure, to be honest, but I don't think all of the criticism here is wholly warranted.

The security at my school was actually a division of state troopers. For all the problems that caused, I'd take it any day over rent a cops and a discipline committee.

KateSmash said:

Because the administration is lazy, only interested in their bottom dollar, and like to pass off problems wherever they crop up. I say this from experience (though, thankfully not this kind of experience). At least know that there are students, staff, faculty and alumni protesting this (and other cases that have come out recently) daily.

Though the real way to get the administration's attention is to contact the General Alumni Association, since alumni donations are the biggest source of fundraising, and urge them to back the protests. Or, if you know alumni with the funds to donate, ask them to pull financial support. Trust me, losing money will make them pay attention.

Click to expand...

How about contacting the media and the state's Attorney General as well as the General Alumni Association? Would that get their attention? I hope so.

The local news is already well aware and giving it coverage. The Attorney General, however might be a good idea. Or a gamble, since he's an alumnus of both the undergrad program and the law school. Something to look into.

KateSmash said:

The local news is already well aware and giving it coverage. The Attorney General, however might be a good idea. Or a gamble, since he's an alumnus of both the undergrad program and the law school. Something to look into.

Click to expand...

Yeah, there's that. The Penn State scandal taught us that, too.

robeiae said:

The time issue is not clear at all, but by my reading, she reported the assault(s)/rape(s) to the school well after the fact. And that's a serious problem, both for her and the school.

Click to expand...

I agree with that. I've found several articles that seem to have a different timeline (including the one I posted). I'm just kind of astonished that, regardless of timeline, UNC has their own campus police department of sworn officers who can investigate a rape at any time. She was referred to honor court at some point, and I'm still looking for when (and if) she referred to them.