Accusations made against Hillsdale College in a federal lawsuit filed yesterday mischaracterize Hillsdale’s culture, sexual assault policies, and procedures, according to a statement from the college and first released to The Collegian.
“Hillsdale College takes the safety of its students very seriously and strives to educate students about sexual assault, answer frequently asked questions about sexual assault, and detail the procedures for contacting appropriate persons at the college, Hillsdale Hospital, and Hillsdale City Police,” the news release reads. “Hillsdale also, however, understands the importance of maintaining the rights of the accused as the process of investigation and remediation is carried out.”
Two women, a current junior and a former member of the class of 2024 who has since transferred, claim in the lawsuit that students at Hillsdale face “an unusually high risk of sexual assault.”
Both say they were raped by peers at Hillsdale but were “met not with support, but with sham investigations, arbitrary decisions, and punishments” after reporting it to the college.
“When they reported their rapes to Hillsdale, seeking support and accountability, they instead faced phony investigations, retaliation, and blame for being raped,” the lawsuit filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Michigan says.
The lawsuit is seeking certification as a class action.
The suit says Hillsdale has a “deficient” sexual misconduct policy which leaves students “vulnerable to sexual assault from their peers.”
The college statement said Hillsdale “promptly and thoroughly investigates” all sexual assault allegations, including the ones detailed in the lawsuit.
“Hillsdale also offers assistance to the alleged victim and implements necessary interim measures, whether supportive or protective,” the statement reads.
Hillsdale’s sexual misconduct policy, published on its website, “prohibits retaliation against any person who, in good faith, reports sexual misconduct, participates in an investigation or sanction for sexual misconduct, or otherwise assists in combating sexual misconduct on the Hillsdale College campus.”
The news release said the college has established procedures for dealing with misconduct allegations outlined in resources provided to all students.
“Over the past decade, Hillsdale College has worked with expert third parties to ensure its policies and procedures regarding investigations of sexual assault are exceptional with respect to ascertaining the true nature of the alleged incident,” the statement reads, “while also protecting the rights and reputation of both the accused and the alleged victim.”
