EASTERN MICHIGAN DIDN'T WARN AND PAID THE PRICE

U.S. colleges and universities apparently will go to extremes to protect the reputation of not only the institution, but the staff, administration and faculty, even it means trampling over the truth and protecting incompetent people in key decision-making position.

I have given examples of such duplicity in earlier postings—the Appalachian School of Law, Virginia Tech, and Penn State. Now, let’s take a look at Eastern Michigan.

The case against Eastern Michigan University is the highest fine imposed on a school. The school was fined $357,500 for failing to warn the campus of a 2006 student's assault and death.

A fellow student murdered Eastern Michigan University coed, Laura Dickinson, on December 13, 2006. Dickinson was found in her room four days after her killing. She was naked, a pillow over her head, and there were traces of semen on one leg. The police later said there was “no reason to suspect foul play.” The school therefore did not issue a warning. Ten weeks later, however, student Orange Taylor III was arrested and charged with Dickinson’s murder. It just so happened that Taylor’s arrest occurred on the first day that students could not withdraw from classes and housing and receive a full refund.

After a thorough investigation, the school was found in violation of The Clery Act for not notifying students of the danger. (The Clery Act calls for a warning to be given to the campus population when a murder occurs on that campus. It does not distinguish between murders by deranged gunmen, murders by rapists and murders caused by a supposed domestic dispute. If someone is found murdered on campus, an immediate warning is called for—lives are at stake.) School President John A. Fallon was fired; no reason was given for his termination, but the press reported it was for his apparent role in the cover up. The Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police were both relieved of their jobs.

On December 13, 2007, the school settled with Laura Dickinson’s family for $2.5 million. The school did not admit any guilt. Orange Taylor III was convicted of first-degree murder and sexual assault. He was sentenced to life in prison on May 8, 2008.

There are parallels between Eastern Michigan, and Virginia Tech. The most glaring parallel is the failure of the schools and police officials to warn a campus when confronted with a student homicide. Yes, the lengths of the delays were completely different, but in both cases of Virginia Tech and Eastern Michigan, the schools trivialized a homicide in order to delay a campus-wide notification. Whether you wait over two hours or over two months to warn is irrelevant—it is inexcusable. (To be continued)