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A Common Voice is an educational video that seeks to provoke discussion on sexual and intimate partner violence in the campus community. Individuals who represent multiple backgrounds and affiliations share their ideas about the definition of sexual and intimate partner violence and consent, and discuss their experiences as they relate to family and community responses. University staff and students describe their reactions to sexual and intimate partner violence on campus and encourage action by the campus community.

Evidence

We know that a decision that is biased, arbitrary, or capricious will not meet the test of fundamental fairness.  We know that procedures and decisions must be reasonable.  What is too often left unsaid is that there will be instances in which the admission and consideration of irrelevant evidence, hearsay evidence, illegally obtained evidence, or evidence lacking in credibility will violate fundamental fairness.  There are two basic rules of evidence that should be observed in the campus hearing:  the rule of relevance and the rule of credibility of witnesses/testimony (Sokolow, 2004).

Warrant Request and Authorization: The detective/officer assigned to your case will forward a report to the prosecuting attorney’s office. The prosecutor may want to interview you. Because sexual assault is a crime against the citizens of Michigan, the prosecutor represents the people of the State of Michigan and not you specifically. The prosecutor will make the decision about whether or not to prosecute. If you haven’t heard from the prosecutor, you can call the prosecuting attorney’s office and ask to speak with him/her.

SAPAC held its annual volunteer training program from January 31^st – February 12^th this year which included a mixture of presentations, panels, small-group discussions, and storytelling.  We are excited to welcome 25 new students to our three volunteer programs.

In addition to previous information, keep in mind that the University of Michigan has many other resources that may be of assistance to you in addressing your experience.  SAPAC can help you connect to resources, such as the Office of Student Conflict Resolution (734-936-6308), the Office of Institutional Equity (734-763-0235), and other valuable resources should you be interested.

You have the option of filing a civil lawsuit. By doing this, you could possibly be awarded monetary damages. Here are some key points to keep in mind about this option:

The U.S. Department of Education’s Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Violence Prevention featured the University of Michigan and SAPAC in its December 2011 Prevention Update publication. This publication mentions several of SAPAC's collaborative efforts, including summer orientation, the Community Matters online tutorial, and Relationship Remix. Refer to the link to view the entire publication.

The Vice President for Student Affairs, E. Royster Harper, invited several SAPAC volunteers, interns, and staff to watch the Michigan vs. Minnesota game in her box suite on Oct. 1, 2011.

Recent guidance from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights highlights the nationwide impact of sexual misconduct on campus and makes specific recommendations regarding how colleges and universities respond to sexual misconduct allegations.

Pursuant to this guidance, as well as our own ongoing commitment to creating an environment free from sexual misconduct, we developed a revised procedure, established on an interim basis, for addressing sexual misconduct allegations against students at the University of Michigan. This interim procedure supersedes the processes specific to sexual misconduct currently outlined in the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities and is in effect until further notice.