Oregon rape investigation

University of Oregon President Michael Gottfredson, seen May 9 in an address to news media, spoke again Wednesday about the university's handling of rape allegations against three basketball players.

(Chris Pietsch)

EUGENE -- University of Oregon President Michael Gottfredson maintained Wednesday afternoon in a speech to a packed faculty Senate that Oregon's response to "profoundly disturbing" rape allegations against three basketball players was correct while acknowledging a "frustration from not being able to say more."



Gottfredson's opening remarks and answers to faculty questions echoed the public comments he delivered last Friday in a news conference, but also pushed back against critics of UO's response to an alleged off-campus rape March 8 by Duck basketball players Damyean Dotson, Dominic Artis and Brandon Austin.



The Lane County district attorney declined to prosecute the three on April 14 due to insufficient evidence. The university dismissed each from the basketball team May 1 and they await possible further discipline from the university. None of the players has made a public statement since the allegations were first reported May 5. Each is now in their hometowns, the UO says, though all three are represented by local attorneys.



"We cannot by law share many details of this case," Gottfredson said. "Some have speculated that we are not acting in the right interest of the university and that student safety has been compromised, or that we turn a blind eye toward misconduct, or that we would tolerate for one moment sexual violence or intimidation on our campus. These assumptions are patently false and such speculations are very, very inappropriate. We are dealing with a highly sensitive and incredibly complex issue concerning people's lives."



Gottfredson, who was a provost and professor of criminology at UC Irvine for 12 years before becoming Oregon's president in June 2012, reiterated that in the days leading up to the Ducks' NCAA Tournament appearance in March Oregon repeatedly sought guidance from Eugene police about whether players needed to be left home.



"We were advised not to do anything to alert the players to an investigation, that is, to not do anything we would not usually do," Gottfredson said. "Clearly, keeping players off that plane would have done so."



Dotson and Artis continued to play in two games in the NCAA tournament. Austin did not travel with the team to Milwaukee, Wis., site of the tournament's first round, due to NCAA transfer rules. Gottfredson did not address whether forbidding Artis or Dotson to play in the tournament would have alerted either to an investigation.



Eugene police spokeswomen Melinda McLaughlin said Wednesday evening that when the investigating detective asked Oregon not to jeopardize the investigation, he left it to Oregon's interpretation as to what could tip off the players they were being looked into.



"We're not going to tell them specifically what to do with players or not, EPD does not have that authority," McLaughlin said. "We do have the request that organizations not jeopardize the investigation. The ultimate decision would be that of the agency or business that we're requesting that of. We asked the UO not to jeopardize the criminal investigation and they honored that."



Though UO biology professor Nathan Tublitz submitted a motion of "no confidence" in Gottfredson that sought a vote on terminating the president's contract, the proposed motion did not earn enough support to be placed on the agenda and was not discussed. Senate members agreed a response to the allegations and UO's handling was necessary, but delayed further discussion until its next meeting in two weeks.



While unable to speak to the standing room-only crowd about the specifics of the case citing federal privacy laws, Gottfredson attempted to outline what a typical response to a sexual assault allegation resembles at UO. Once it learns of an investigation, Gottfredson said, Oregon can issue a no-contact order, impose restrictions of where and when the accused students can be on campus or provide accommodations for victims.



"In this case processes remain ongoing," he said, acknowleding UO's own investigation into Austin, Artis and Dotson that could lead to expulsion on top of their dismissal from the team.



"We as a campus have an opportunity to take our anger and our energy toward this issue and direct it toward a solution," said Gottfredson, saying two new university jobs relating to sexual violence prevention should be filled soon. "We have an opportunity -- I would say we have a responsibility -- to become leaders in the nation in creating a campus that is safe from sexual violence."



Also Wednesday the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee met for the first time in nearly three months and passed several motions revolving around the allegations.



The first asks Gottfredson to appoint a faculty member from the IAC to the "special athletics admits" group within the athletic department that helps determine whether certain athletes should be admitted to the school. The IAC also asked that the admits group meet with the IAC. The group has come under scrutiny amid questions about the vetting of Austin, who transferred from Providence after being suspended from the team. In March he was linked to a sexual assault case in Rhode Island, and UO administrators say it was the first time they knew of specific reasons behind Austin's Providence suspension.

Gottfredson had previously announced last week that he would appoint a future independent review of Oregon's recruitment practices, as well.



The IAC also passed a motion that requests the athletic department and its coaches share all documents related to policies or procedures for suspending athletes. A third motion requests that the athletic department work with the IAC to develop a mandatory, for-credit class for its athletes that addresses sexual violence, among other topics. Altman said in his press conference Friday that his team did not take part in such a course this year for unspecified reasons, adding that such a course is usually held annually for athletes.



The committee "provides advice and consultation" with the athletic department, according to its website, but is advisory only.



-- Andrew Greif | @andrewgreif