Brendan Gibbons, UM’s starting kicker for the past three seasons, was expelled last month for violating the University’s Student Sexual Misconduct Policy, according to documents reviewed by The Michigan Daily, the U-M student newspaper.
“You will be permanently separated from the University of Michigan effective December 20, 2013,” reads a Dec. 19, 2013 letter addressed to Gibbons at his Florida residence from the University’s Office of Student Conflict Resolution, which facilitates disciplinary proceedings against students. The Michigan Daily did not obtain these documents from the University.
Matt Slovin and Adam Rubenfire report in The Daily the expulsion of Gibbons, who was a graduate student in the School of Social Work after graduating with a general studies degree, stems from an incident that was reported to have occurred on Nov. 22, 2009, according to documents. This corresponds with previous media reports that a sexual assault involving a Michigan football player occurred in the early morning hours of that day. Gibbons was a freshman and a member of the football team at the time that the conduct was alleged to have occurred.
An additional Office of Student Conflict Resolution document signed by Stacy Vander Velde, associate director of the office of conflict resolution, and dated Nov. 20, 2013, stated that it was determined by the University that a preponderance of evidence supports “a finding that the Respondent engaged in unwanted or unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, committed without valid consent, and that conduct was so severe as to create a hostile, offensive, or abusive environment.” The Daily has been told that the respondent referred to in this letter is Gibbons. Complainants in this case are not identified in the documents reviewed by The Daily.
Gibbons did not travel to Arizona last month for Michigan’s bowl game in Tempe on Dec. 28, The Detroit News reports. Upon the team’s arrival, Michigan coach Brady Hoke announced that Gibbons had returned home to Florida.
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“He has a family matter in Florida that he has to attend to,” Hoke said at the time, The News says.
Gibbons also did not play in the Ohio State game on Nov. 30. Hoke said at the time he had a muscle injury.
Gibbons has not been charged with a crime.
