STATEMENT FROM THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGARDING THE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION
The Special Committee of the University of Rochester’s Board of Trustees announced today that an Independent Investigation into allegations raised in a complaint to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will be completed by early January.
The Special Committee said it has been advised by Mary Jo White, the former U.S. Attorney whom it commissioned to conduct the Independent Investigation, that she and her team expect to complete their investigation in early January and to issue the report no later than January 12, 2018. Ms. White is investigating all of the matters raised in the EEOC complaint, including the original allegations, the University’s actions in response to the allegations, and the University’s policies and procedures involving sexual harassment, sexual misconduct and related issues.
The Committee said Ms. White had advised them that she has received broad cooperation from more than 115 current and former students, faculty and administrators. The Special Committee is grateful to all of the individuals who have assisted in this effort thus far.
It is the Special Committee’s expectation that the Independent Investigation will be an unsparing examination of the University’s policies, practices and performance and that the report will provide a deeper understanding of the concerns of our community and a predicate for change and improvement. Ms. White has said that the final report will be made available simultaneously to the Special Committee and Board of Trustees and then will be released, unedited, to the University community and the broader public on the same day. No party associated with the University will be given an opportunity to preview the final report or to recommend or make changes to it.
Our solemn responsibility as Trustee, Faculty and Student members of the Special Committee is to ensure that UR remains an academic community of uncompromising rigor, integrity and excellence and an institution of undivided loyalty to the best interests of all of our students – a safe place that utterly rejects harassment, intimidation and coercion in any form in favor of respect, encouragement and exceptional achievement. As soon as the report of the Independent Investigation is made public, the Trustees will be on campus to begin working on appropriate next steps.
Anyone who has information relevant to the investigation is encouraged to contact either Mary Jo White at (212) 909-6996 (mjwhite@debevoise.com) or Mary Beth Hogan at (212) 909-6996 (mbhogan@debevoise.com).
The Special Committee
Richard Handler ’83, Chair of the Special Committee, Trustee
Nomi Bergman ’85, Trustee
Dr. Jean Bidlack ’79 (PhD), Professor and Associate Chair, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology
John Davidson ’88S (MBA), Trustee
Lance Drummond ’85S (MBA), Trustee
Kolja Keller, PhD Candidate, Department of Philosophy
Lizette Pérez-Deisboeck ’87, Trustee
