Though it may seem that every scandal in America is exposed through broadcast journalism, instances of rape on college campuses often slip through the cracks in order to protect the reputation of the university.  Many universities stumble upon a gray area when faced with handling reports of rape on campus, therefore reaping Title IX investigations when the situation is mishandled.  Many American Universities do not play a large enough role in the administration of rape cases by initiating a weak investigation which ultimately leads to these cases going unresolved.

When it comes to student athletes accused of rape, universities have been known to turn the other cheek in order to protect their school’s reputation.  However, this often backfires once the victim decides to speak out against the injustice they received.  In September of 2016, Cecilia Carreras took to the Huffington Post to speak out against the University of Richmond regarding her rape allegations against one of their student athletes.  Upon meeting with the Dean Fabian to discuss the progress of her case he allegedly stated, “I thought it was reasonable for him to penetrate you for a few more minutes if he was going to finish” (Carreras).  He then broke the news that after over a year of investigation, the University decided not to further look in to Carreras’ case or discipline her alleged rapist.  Carreras claims that the University allowed for her assailant to continue participation in the athletic program and did not punish the student when he broke a “no contact agreement” on multiple occasions.  The University has since responded to Carreras’ initial accusations by stating, “...We think it is important for us to share that many of the assertions of fact are inaccurate and do not reflect the manner in which reports of sexual misconduct have been investigated and adjudicated at the University” (Carreras).  Insulted by the University’s statement, Carreras responded to the accusations of the University with evidence that supported multiple of her initial claims.  Carreras believes that the University of Richmond did not run a strong, unbiased investigation because of the status of her alleged rapist at the University.  These allegations against the University of Richmond initiated a Title IX investigation at the University, the second in the past 3 years.

In January of 2013, Erica Kinsman identified Jameis Winston as the man who drugged and raped her in his apartment in December of 2012.  Winston, at the time, was the star freshman quarterback at Florida State University where Kinsman also attended.  Kinsman immediately went to the hospital to receive a rape kit and file a report with the police.  Upon telling the responding officer, a FSU alum and fundraiser, that she believed Winston was the man who assaulted her he warned, “This is a huge football town. You really should think long and hard if you want to press charges” (Payne).  Winston’s conduct hearing didn’t occur until December of 2014, two years after he allegedly raped Kinsman, where the University cleared him in time for the College Football Playoffs.  Two weeks after the season ended, Winston was asked to testify by the University where he failed to answer a single question.  Due to the fact that Winston provided no information, the University decided to drop the case.  After receiving hundreds of threats, Kinsman dropped out of Florida State to avoid being harassed by her peers.  In 2015, Kinsman filed a federal Title IX lawsuit against Florida State from which she received $950,000 and a five-year commitment to improving the way the University educates and handles rape on campus.  Though there was substantial evidence against Winston, including a statement from his roommate who was present the night of the attack and a rape kit, the media refused to believe any of the allegations.  Exhausted with hearing others sing Winston’s praises, Don MacPherson, a retired NFL quarterback, commented, “He won the Heisman trophy with his DNA in a rape kit” (Payne).  Though Kinsman’s settlement is hardly short of a million dollars, she was not given the proper support by the University at the time of her accusations.  As the victim, Kinsman should not have been the party that withdrew from the University.  Florida State University protected Jameis Winston, a rapist, as they saw him to be essential to the reputation of their football program.  Florida State University failed to report 99 known cases of sexual assault on campus to the federal government in 2014 alone.  It is clear that Florida State University does play a large role in the administration of rape on campus but they do not uphold a standard that all students are to be held accountable for their actions regardless of their status.

The Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act of 2014 states that all colleges and universities that are federally funded are required to provide sexual assault prevention education to all students (McCaughey).  The passing of this legislature ensured that these institutions would be taking preventative action by educating students early on so that there is no excuse for sexual assault to take place without knowing.  This began the movement in which many colleges and universities reformed how they handle sexual assault in its entirety.  The process of reporting assault became more accessible for victims to report incidences at any time and with confidence that they will not receive repercussions for these reports.  An online information escrow that allows students to report assault and receive the help they need is to be introduced to many top universities.  This escrow is predicted to increase the action taken against assailants and reduce the chances of rape on campus by disciplining the assailant after their first offense (Ladd).  After receiving the reports of these incidences, it is crucial that the university thoroughly investigate each case to ensure they are handled properly.  Texas Tech employee, Elizabeth Sharp, played a strong role in educating faculty of the importance of their position in these cases.  Sharp stresses the impact that student-faculty relationships have on the well-being of the students and how it is critical that students feel comfortable talking to faculty members about personal issues. 

If it weren’t for government interference, many colleges and universisites would still be without an appropriate system to educate against and report sexual assault on campus.  Even with the advances made by the government not all institutions utilize their resources to ensure that students are taking advantage of these opportunities on campus.  Many American colleges and universities do not play a strong enough role in overseeing investigation or enforcing discipline upon students accused of sexual assault.  Until these institutions adopt aand utilize a proper system, campuses are unsafe for many students.
