John Engler (Wikipedia photo by Chuck Grimmett)
John Engler (Wikipedia photo by Chuck Grimmett)
Michigan State University President John Engler was involved in crafting a statement refuting an alleged rape victim's claims, and doing so may have violated a federal law protecting student privacy, the Detroit Free Press reports Friday:
Emails obtained by the Free Press show Engler and his closest advisers sharing “essential facts” and edits to be included in the university’s official response to a lawsuit, which accuses MSU counseling staff of discouraging a student from reporting she was raped by three basketball players. Among the emails was one where a spokeswoman acknowledged they had moved quickly “to get materials the President wanted out the door.”
The statement was posted on MSU’s website and sent to reporters April 11. It said allegations in the lawsuit were untrue and refuted the claims with information about the woman's counseling center history.
Revealing such information is a violation of conditions connected to the Victims of Crime Act funding, which the MSU Sexual Assault Program receives via the state Department of Health and Human Services. MSU has received $490,000 so far, and while federal rules allow for revoking funding if confidentiality is breached, the state DHHS isn't looking into that step yet, a spokesman for the agency said.