AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin received a total of 1,415 reports of sexual misconduct from employees in the 2020-2021 academic year, but only investigated a handful of those incidents, according to a new report released by the university.
According to the university's report, only 6%, or 86, of the 1,415 reports of sexual harassments, sexual assault dating violence and stalking incidents were eligible for investigation. Out of the 86 reports that were investigated, 33 of them had the formal grievance process dismissed.
The remaining 94% of reports were not investigated as they were either confidential reports or officials decided not to launch an investigation. The reports come from employees that witness or receive information regarding such incidents.
More than two-thirds of the reports were confidential ones, meaning the nature of the reporting circumstance rendered the communication "confidential or privileged under other law," per the report. In those cases involving confidential employees like counselors, health services and others, only the disclosure of the kind of conduct is necessary, according to the report. These reports were not investigated due to the limited information they contained.
Meanwhile, 25% of reports had the university not launch an investigation, for reasons such as the alleged offender was not affiliated with UT, their identity was unknown, or a third party reported the incident and the complainant didn't wish to file a formal complaint.
As far as the investigations conducted, 38% reports had investigations dismissed due to the complainant requesting the dismissal; the university not being able to gather sufficient evidence; or complaints not meeting the definition of sexual assault, sexual harassments dating violence and stalking. Meanwhile, 23% investigations had the formal grievance process completed and the rest were at some other point in an ongoing investigation process.
According to KVUE's partners at the Austin American-Statesman, Senate Bill 212 passed in 2019 required both public and private universities to publish and share reports of certain incidents during each fall or spring semester. The report has to include the number of reports and investigations, their results, disciplinary action taken and cases where no disciplinary action was taken.
This is the second time UT has published the report.
Read the full report below.
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