That would go further than the Virginia General Assembly went during its recent legislative session, when it voted to mandate explicit notations on student transcripts. The goal is to keep students from ducking accusations by enrolling in a new school, and getting around the new transcript rule by requesting a transcript before their case advances far enough to trigger the notation.
Task force members also have recommended new training programs, and a number of new on- and off-campus teams to focus on campus sexual assault prevention and response. They've also floated the idea of using websites and mobile phone apps to let victims, or anyone else who hears of it, report assaults anonymously.
There also were repeated calls to simplify the convoluted world of reporting, which involves state and federal education regulations, as well as law enforcement protocols, and better explain the rights of victims, and the accused.
The app also could connect students to counseling and other services, Virginia Tech Assistant Provost Ellen Plummer said. A number of apps exist — including one built, at least in part, by a former Virginia Tech student — and they're highly customizeable, Plummer said.
The task force, headed by Attorney General Mark Herring, was assembled in October. Its creation followed the disappearance of University of Virginia student Hannah Graham, which put campus violence front and center in Virginia. A month later Rolling Stone's explosive — and eventually discredited — story of rape at U.Va. brought even more attention to the issue.
The state legislature tackled these issues through a number of bills now awaiting Gov. Terry McAuliffe's signature. Legislators approved a form of mandatory reporting, building on existing required reporting up the university chain of command to a campus Title IX coordinator when faculty receive a sexual assault report.
The assembly added a new layer, creating campus response teams that would assess every case. If public safety warrants, that team could release a victim's name to law enforcement, whether she consents or not.
This caused concern among some advocates, who said the power should stay with the victim.
The task force hasn't finalized its recommendations, which were worked by subcommittees and presented to the full group Wednesday. A number of potentially redundant response teams were suggested, and some ideas may be combined before the full task force finalizes recommendations at the end of May, Herring said.
Some proposals would cost money. There were repeated calls Wednesday for more training for university employees and others who interact with victims. There was support for a new "Virginia Center of Excellence for the Prevention and Investigation of Campus Sexual Misconduct," which would serve as a clearinghouse for research and best practices.
The center's estimated price tag was at least $500,000, though at least one task force member said the actual cost would probably be much more. Col. William Grace, Virginia Military Academy's Title IX coordinator, said the center would make Virginia a leader on these issues.
"I don't know any other state that has something like this," he said. "It's not going to be cheap. It's not going to be really expensive."
A separate advisory committee to continue the task force's work also has backing. The task force's enforcement subcommittee asked for new mandatory sexual assault response teams on each campus and more attention to the quick gathering of physical evidence. That may mean amending state law to require keeping test results longer.
One recommendation would increase the frequency of information blasts universities send. This system is typically used to tell students and others of a potential threat, such as an attacker. It was pitched Wednesday as a way to heighten awareness and encourage reporting.
Northern Virginia Community College Police Chief Daniel Dusseau questioned the wisdom of that, saying it would dilute the system's effectiveness.
Task force members called for mandatory surveys to gauge what students think of the climate on campus every two years. There was some discussion of beefing up anti-bullying programs in K-12 schools to address sexual assault.
Prevention teams, including state licensed "prevention professionals" also were pitched by one of the subcommittees.
©2015 the Daily Press (Newport News, Va.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
