The University of Memphis denies any biases in dealing with sexual assaults by student athletes.
This comes after a lawsuit filed against the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and the director of the office of student conduct and community standards, claims several of its athletes sexually assaulted other students and the school tried to cover it up.
Six unidentified women claim the disciplinary system favors the perpetrator, leading to a hostile sexual environment for female students, at the University of Tennessee.
Different incidents from the past are cited in the lawsuit include current or former football players of UT. Among the named perpetrators is Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. He is accused of having sexually harassed a female athletic trainer in 1996.
Despite the lawsuit against UT, there is no cover-up of athletic misconduct happening at Memphis, explained Courtney Vinson, the associate athletic director for sport services at the U of M.
“The University of Memphis has clear policies that must be followed if we have a case of sexual assault or violence that occurs on our campus or that involves our students,” said Vinson in an email.
“We protect the integrity of a potential allegation or case, regardless of involving a student-athlete or not,” she said.
The University of Tennessee provided accused athletes with an attorney, according to the lawsuit.
In many cases the final disciplinary actions were influenced by the athletic department, the lawsuit said. This is handled differently at the U of M.
“We do not influence any discipline or penalty as we follow the same policies and procedures that the Office for Institutional Equity establishes,” Vinson said. “Athletics is never involved. We do not get any separate treatment.”
The athletic department at the U of M is dedicated to increasing awareness of and preventing sexual assaults, Vinson said.
“We had nationally-respected speaker Janet Judge from Sports Law and Associates present to our student-athletes and our staff about sexual assault and violence in January,” Vinson said. “Our university general counsel attended both sessions and our equity officer attended the session specific to our staff.”
More events by the Office of Institutional Equity, which is the first contact to address for assault survivors, are planned in April.
Many students at the U of M feel they have little insight into what is happening in cases where student athletes are involved.
“Well, it could be that they are being favored,” said Lawrence Moaton, 26, a film senior from Memphis. “I see it a lot on the media that football players are involved in domestic violence, so it is possible that the behavior starts here.”
Nursing senior Mischelle Salg trusts in the university’s integrity.
“I don’t think things are covered,” the 22-year-old Salg said. “It should not be like this. I think all legal issues are investigated equally, especially these days that they made the topic really public and everyone is aware of it.”
Student athletes are possibly treated differently in terms of academics, Stephanie Miranda, 18, a civil engineering freshman, said.
“I was friends with some people from the football team in high school and they could get away with more things,” she said.
“When they got bad grades and did not turn in assignments, but they needed to play and were important for the team, the coach just saw over it and let them play anyway,” she said. “But I don’t know how it is in college, I don’t think they cover criminal issues.”
