Utah State University settles rape victim’s lawsuit with $250,000, changes to Greek life oversight
Utah State University agreed on Thursday to pay $250,000 and end a lawsuit related to how it handled a high-profile sexual assault case in 2015.
The settlement, which went into effect June 29 but wasn’t announced until July 5, ends a civil lawsuit between rape survivor, Victoria Hewlett and USU, for how it handled a sexual assault case involving former Sigma Chi fraternity member Jason Relopez.
As part of the agreement, USU agrees to do the following:
- Require all Greek organizations to apply for recognition as official student organizations.
- Hire a full-time Greek life coordinator
- Provide trauma-informed training for employees
- Continue campus climate surveys
- Mandatory Training for Students on Sexual Harassment
- Revise USU’s Sexual Harassment Policies and Training
- Revise USU’s Sexual Harassment Reporting Form
- Allow Victoria Hewlett to participate in USU’s committees and groups in order to prevent and respond to sexual harassment
- Hire consultant to develop training on sexual harassment prevention and response
- Assign advocate to reporters of sexual harassment
- Report back with progress that has been made
The agreement comes while the university is still in the midst of an investigation by the United States Department of Justice, and has come under fire for its reported mishandling of several high-profile sexual assault cases, including that of former USU football player Torrey Green and former Sigma Chi fraternity member Jason Relopez who plead guilty to raping a woman during a frat party in the summer of 2015. Most recently, there were also a slew of gender-based complaints made against faculty members of USU’s piano program.
The Utah Statesman does not normally identify victims of sexual assault, however, Hewlett has agreed to be identified.
Hewlett filed a lawsuit against individual members of the fraternity in March. Included in the court documents is the defendants’ alleged “knowledge of Relopez’s violent, intimidating nature and alcoholism.” A notice of intent to dismiss the lawsuit was filed July 2.
Victoria Hewlett v USU Settlement Agreement and Release 062718 by Utah Statesman on Scribd