by Associated Press US school won't reinstate fraternity activities by LARRY O'DELL, Associated Press - 8 December 2014 20:11-05:00 RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) — The University of Virginia refused to reinstate activities at social organizations that were suspended after a Rolling Stone article alleged a woman was gang raped at a fraternity house, despite the magazine acknowledging mistakes in its reporting, and officials said Monday that the story and debate has led it to create a group to explore its policies and campus culture. Rolling Stone's article last month article rocked a campus still reeling from the disappearance and death of 18-year-old British-born Hannah Graham. It portrayed a culture of sexual violence at one of America's leading public universities, and an administration response that put protecting the school's image ahead of seeking justice for sex crimes. The story — about the dangerous mix of alcohol, date-rape drugs and forced sex at fraternity parties — sparked protests, classroom debates, formal investigations and a suspension of fraternity activities. The story mentioned that Virginia is just one of 90 schools facing sexual-violence investigations by the U.S. Education Department, as states and universities across the U.S. face pressure to change how they handle rape allegations. Some states are moving to require college campuses to define sexual consent in an effort to stem the tide of sexual assaults. An administrative task force at Virginia will implement recommendations by the university's new group, which will focus on: culture, including student behavior, the so-called Greek system of social houses, alcohol and other drug use and student self-governance; prevention, including bystander training, peer education and physical safety such as lighting, camera systems and policing; and response, including survivor support, training for students and faculty, and its policies for handling incidents. "I remain committed to a fearless examination of our culture and practices," university President Teresa A. Sullivan said in a statement. In a separate statement, the university declined a request by three national Greek organizations to lift its suspension of activities until Jan. 9. The university said the reinstatement of activities in January will be in conjunction with a new agreement that will enhance the safety of fraternity and sorority members and their guests. Rolling Stone has modified its earlier apology to emphasize that the mistakes were the fault of the magazine, not the woman who was the main source of the story. Friday's original note to readers said of Jackie, "Our trust in her was misplaced." The updated note removes that line, which some critics viewed as blaming the victim. The magazine said it shouldn't have agreed to Jackie's request not to contact the people she said attacked her to get their side of the story. The Phi Kappa Psi fraternity has denied the assault and said it didn't host an event on the night Jackie alleged she was raped. The magazine said in its updated note that Jackie is now unsure that the man who allegedly lured her into a room to be raped by seven men was a member of Phi Kappa Psi, and that other discrepancies in her account have emerged. Jackie told The Washington Post she stood by her story. Kate McCord, spokeswoman for the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, said the magazine's admission of errors "doesn't change the facts of the larger story — the prevalence of campus sexual violence itself." News Topics: General news, Higher education, College fraternities, Education, School discipline, College sororities, Sexual assault, School violence, Sex in society, Social affairs, Collegiate organizations, Social groups and organizations, Education issues, Social issues, Violent crime, Crime, Violence, School safety People, Places and Companies: Virginia, United States, North America Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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