Jepson's Dean Peart sends email to leadership students about sexual violence

Jepson School of Leadership Studies faculty will complete its Title IX training in a meeting this Monday, September 12, four weeks after the start of school, according to an email sent to leadership students Sunday afternoon. 

The email, which was signed by Sandra Peart, the dean of the Jepson school, was sent in response to outrage over sexual violence that reached a boiling point last week when two students accused the university of mishandling their Title IX investigations. An initial email response from the university called one of the victim’s accounts “inaccurate” and prompted follow-up emails from President Ronald Crutcher and Mia Reinoso Genoni, dean of Westhampton College.

The Title IX training for Jepson faculty was scheduled prior to last week’s events, according to Peart’s email. Peart did not address why the training is scheduled during the fourth week of classes, when most sexual assaults occur during the first two weeks of the academic year, a period known as the “Red Zone.”

Peart also announced The Faculty Senate's call for a faculty forum scheduled for this Tuesday, September 13, 2016. The training and forum “will provide important opportunities for learning and sharing information and suggestions,” according to Peart’s email.

Peart wrote that “the Jepson School community are deeply saddened” by recent events and take sexual misconduct very seriously.

The email to Jepson students was concluded with Peart’s contact information and a note that “faculty and staff care deeply about the University of Richmond, the Jepson School, and our students and alumni.”

Contact news writer Ashlee Korlach at ashlee.korlach@richmond.edu

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