Florida State University is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for a range of sexual assault complaints that may not have been properly vetted by campus authorities.
The Office for Civil Rights is overseeing the query, USA Today reported.
The investigation stems from a complaint filed with authorities by woman who accused FSU quarterback and Heisman trophy winner Jameis Winston of sexually assaulting her in December 2012. Police said a year later that they weren’t going to press forward with charges against the star athlete, who ultimately led the Seminoles to a national championship.
The accuser, upset at the failure of State Attorney Willie Maggs to go forward with any charges, turned to the federal authorities for action.
“Our client is particularly gratified by the OCR’s decision to investigate and look for discrimination and find remedies to it,” said the accuser’s attorney, Baine Kerr, told the Associated Press. “Her primary goal, from the beginning, has been affecting change that will make women at Florida State safer on campus.”
The university declined to respond to the OCR investigation, but did confirm receipt of a letter informing that the federal authorities had launched the query, AP reported.
The OCR has a policy that “conduct may constitute unlawful sexual harassment under Title IX even if the police do not have sufficient evidence of a criminal violation.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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