The Takeaway

What's the takeaway from the Rolling Stone magazine retraction of its U of Virginia fraternity rape story for UC?* Basically, it's that there will need to be real university investigations when allegations are made. Probably, there will need to be UC police involvement, at least in some cases such as anything like the U of VA story. When the matter of creating new procedures was discussed at the Regents, there were assurances that mechanisms of due process, etc., would be created.

Most issues that arise under sexual harassment/assault mechanisms are likely to involve students. However, even it such cases, there may be some faculty connection, e.g., a complaint made to a faculty member. There will need to be very clear guidelines, for example, about what a faculty member should do in such cases where the potential complaint was made with a request to discuss what happened in confidence. And, of course, there will need to be the above-noted mechanisms of due process whether the person charged is a student, faculty, or staff member. Surely, there is enough legal talent within the UC faculty to enable to the Academic Senate to play an active role in ensuring that a workable set of procedures is implemented.
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*http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/06/business/media/statement-from-writer-of-rolling-stone-rape-article-sabrina-erdely.html, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/06/business/media/rolling-stone-retracts-article-on-rape-at-university-of-virginia.html, https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2015/04/06/rolling-stone-retracts-uva-gang-rape-article, http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/a-rape-on-campus-what-went-wrong-20150405, http://money.cnn.com/2015/04/06/media/rolling-stone-no-firings/index.html.