Congress Weighs Mandate that Universities Proove they Review Sex Abuse Complaints
U.S. Senate mulls plan by Michigan lawmakers to require college presidents, trustees to show they reviewed sex abuse probes. Michigan State says it was unaware of complaints against school’s ex-sports doc, convicted abuser Larry Nassar.
Michigan’s U.S. Senators are proposing that the federal government require university leaders to personally examine reports of sexual abuse on campus.
The plan stems from criticism over how Michigan State University handled complaints against disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar.
The former Michigan State and USA Gymnastics physician was sentenced to hundreds of years in prison for molesting young women he was supposed to be treating for injuries.
The case led to numerous resignations and an investigation by Michigan’s attorney general.
Now the U.S. Senate is considering legislation that would mandate that a school’s president and at least one member of a university’s board of trustees annually show proof that they reviewed all sexual abuse investigations of their employees.
The measure is sponsored by U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) along with the second-highest ranking GOP member of the chamber, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX.)
In a statement Peters says the proposal would ensure university officials could never again say they were not aware of abuse allegations at their institution.
Earlier this week Michigan State officials told the Senate they could not confirm reports that some in the university had been told about Nassar’s abuse decades before he was charged with a crime.
