BOSTON — The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) plans to investigate Emerson College after three students filed complaints against the institution, claiming that it failed to sufficiently respond to reports of sexual violence and harassment.
Sophomore Sarah Tedesco filed her complaint in October stating that Emerson officials took months to begin investigating her assault. She also claims that when she was sexually assaulted a second time by the same person, the school was still investigating her initial report, the Huffington Post reports.
Jillian Doherty, a junior, said that when she reported an assault case, Emerson personnel did not interview witnesses. Another junior, Sarita Nadkarni’s complaint alleged that the college did not provide support when she reported her sexual assault. She later was put on academic probation and was threatened with the loss of her scholarship.
After the first complaint was filed, Emerson President M. Lee Pelton said the school would review and improve its policies on sexual violence.
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