Dive Brief:
- The University of Virginia has adopted a “zero tolerance” policy on sexual assault without defining what that means.
- The Board of Visitors unanimously approved the policy on Tuesday, and a university spokesman said the details will be worked out with the administration, Inside Higher Ed reported.
- The board approved the policy during a three-hour emergency meeting in response to the fallout from a Rolling Stone article about a culture of sexual assault at the school, including a detailed account of a gang rape at a campus fraternity house.
Dive Insight:
Hopefully, the board’s attention to the issue will lead to substantial changes at the university. One related issue discussed by the board was alcohol consumption. Briefly, the board also discussed cultural issues outside the fraternity system, and changes may require educating students on reporting sexual assaults and how to intervene in situations they witness. Some faculty members were critical of the zero-tolerance policy's lack of definition.