As Simon Fraser University deals with allegations of sexual assault on the Burnaby campus, some faculty and at least one union are criticizing how the school handled the situation.
Marjorie Griffin Cohen, an SFU professor emeritus of political science and chair of the Women’s Studies Department, suggested the university knew for some time about the assault allegations, but didn’t send out a warning to students.
Cohen, who said she was familiar with one of the cases, said it was her understanding a police report was filed in February from one of the victims. She also noted faculty met with senior members of administration about the allegations in early April.
“I think the university just does not have the kind of expertise it needs with regards to sexual assault and they need to have a clearer idea of what the problem is,” she said, adding at least one of the women involved has left the school.
She further criticized the university, suggesting the administration doesn’t understand sexual assault cases or have a proper policy in place to deal with the problem, adding frontline workers have limited powers to help victims.
On Tuesday, SFU officials and the Burnaby RCMP confirmed an investigation is underway into the allegations of sexual assault that were brought forward sometime during the spring semester.
The university said it received three allegations of sexual assaults from female students at the Burnaby campus against a male student.
No other details were provided, but police confirmed the allegations stem from incidents at the end of 2015.
Cohen said the university needs someone with expertise in sexual assault cases on both staff and as a part of the policy group, while the province needs to bring in legislation similar to laws that exist for employers in the federal sector.
SFU’s Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU) is also critical of the university’s response to the allegations.
The union said SFU senior administration needs to take responsibility for their “decades of inaction and start being part of the solution rather than silently perpetuating injustice.”
“In response to the information that students who have reported sexual assault were forced to leave school, SFU states that it is working on new policies. However, they have failed to live up to their policies in the past,” said Carl Mandy, TSSU spokesperson in a press release.
“Universities across Canada, and SFU in particular, do not provide the necessary supports and services for students and workers who are harassed or attacked on campus. This latest failure to address the consequences of living in rape culture is not acceptable.”
The union suggested a recent review of the SFU’s Bullying and Harassment Program found several cases where employees who alleged harassment left SFU, rather than pursuing complaints.
“Despite legal requirements, SFU is failing to protect workers; it’s no surprise that students experience even worse problems,” Mandy said.
In a response to the NOW, the university said it has a range of policies, resources and practices in place to address issues of sexual assault and to ensure student safety. The university said it is currently consulting with the SFU community to gather its input on current processes and a new stand-alone sexual violence and misconduct policy.
“In order to respect the privacy of those involved, and with an ongoing RCMP investigation, we are not in a position to discuss the specifics of the allegations. What we can say is that the safety of our students has been and remains our No. 1 priority,” said SFU spokesperson Marianne Meadahl.
