After sexual abuse scandals rocked Penn State and Syracuse University, the UW system Board of Regents is discussing reviewing its policies for handling crimes involving minors in its schools.
At the board’s meeting Thursday, members of the Business, Finance, and Audit Committee will propose system policies to audit in 2012. Among the policies the committee is proposing the board’s auditors study is how crimes against minors are reported in the system.
“We’re looking at really a pretty broad assessment of all the applicable laws, policies, rules and procedures that all address this one topic about reporting crimes against minors,” UW system spokesperson David Giroux said.
According to the Board of Regents' December agenda, “in the wake of scandals regarding allegations of crimes against children at higher education institutions, it is essential to evaluate the adequacy of policies related to the reporting of crimes against minors.”
Giroux said increased attention to crimes against minors has made members of the board think it needs to study the system’s policies and laws.
“This is obviously an interest of every institution of higher education in the country that’s come into sharper focus in recent months, unfortunately, and we think its time to undertake a systematic, thorough review of those laws, policies, rules and regulations,” Giroux said.
