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DAILYKANSAN
A still from the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access' sexual harrassment training video.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Mandatory sexual harassment training is expected to roll out soon for all students
MIKE MAICKE
@MJ_Maicke
students.
In a contrast to previous years, this year's sexual assault harassment training will be enforced interactive and required for all
The training will be required for all students rather than only freshmen. And students who do not complete the training will have a hold placed on their account, which means they won't be able to enroll.
The Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access — the office on campus that deals with preventing sexual harassment and resolving on-campus cases — is preparing to roll out a new training program featuring videos and an interactive quiz.
Jane McQueeny, executive director of IOA, said she hopes a new version of the training — in particular using videos instead of a slide show — will engage students more in learning about sexual harassment. The videos feature University student athletes, including men's basketball player Evan Manning, with the hope of leaving a more lasting impression on
SEE TRAINING PAGE 3
19 freshman candidates violated policy
LARA KORTE
@lara_korte
Nineteen freshman Student Senate candidates were found guilty of an egregious violation on Friday for not turning in expense reports with details about campaign spending. The candidates, none of whom were elected, must pay $25 or they will not be able to run for Senate in the spring election.
A bill proposing that the candidates who were found guilty would be able to run for Senate again, which will be voted on next Wednesday by the full Senate, was written in response to violations filed on Friday afternoon by the Senate Elections Commission for 24 freshmen.
As per Senate policy, freshman Senate candidates are required to submit an expense form within 24 hours of the election's end detailing their campaign spending.
Of the 40 freshman candidates who ran earlier this month, only 16 successfully filed their expense forms. Those who did not were charged with violations and asked to appear before the
Elections Commission.
Many of the students admitted that they forgot about the form and said the mistake was their fault. However, other candidates argued that the violation was the result of the Commission's lack of clarity.
Freshman Zac Surritt said the mistake was partly because of the Commission's poor communication during the initial candidate meeting before elections.
"The only reason I knew we even had to turn [a form] in was because it was a question that was asked from the audience. I think there was just a lot of miscommunication," Surritt said. "I remember them mentioning it, but the way it was bureaucratized was mismanaged, I think."
Other students, through emailed statements to the Commission, said they received incorrect information from the Student Senate Executive Committee, which is not in charge of freshmen elections.
Although many candidates were upset at a lack of clarity regarding the expense form, Elections Commission Chair Nicole Marcotte, a second-year
law student, said the freshmen were thoroughly informed of their obligations as Senate candidates during the first meeting. One of these obligations included filing the expense report that verified they did not exceed the $20 spending cap during campaigning.
"There was a powerpoint presentation that I presented, and in that there were two slides that talked about the freshman budget and the policy behind that." Marcotte said. "And during that time I took questions about that. They were told where to find the forms and reminded that regardless whether they win or lose, they still needed to file a form by the 5 p.m. deadline."
Marcotte said the policy was in place for a reason.
"We don't want to discourage people from running, but also at the same time the Commission wants to promote fairness, and we want people to take the Commission and the election process seriously," Marcotte said. "And in addition to that, candidates need to understand the seriousness of being a senator because if individuals are just going to forget to do things or not be responsible,
that doesn't speak well to the types of senators that are being elected"
Marcotte also said the Commission changed the violation fine from $150 to $25.
"This is just to ensure fairness in the process, and I think the Commission is being very friendly," Marcotte said.
Despite the Commission's measures, some members of the Senate executive staff, including Student Body Vice President Zach George, objected to Friday's hearings.
George said sanctions like the ones enacted by the Commission only give Senate a bad reputation and discourage freshman from running.
"I think this whole process has been a little bit ridiculous
—a little bit of an overreaction," George said. "It reinforces what students feel about Student Senate and how our election systems are ridiculous because we're having to charge freshman, who haven't even been here in a month, $25."
George expressed that the expense report itself is superfluous for candidates who are spending "dollars and cents" on campaign materials.
ened with the potential of having an egregious violation, paying $25 and potentially not be able to even run," George said.
George presented the issue to the Student Senate Executive Committee on Friday afternoon after the Commission completed its violation hearings. The bill written at the Senate meeting would suspend the policy sections under which the 19 candidates were charged as guilty.
"Now, they are being threat
"I know that on our staff. We're going to do everything possible to make sure this can be resolved," George said.
George said he sees this issue as an opportunity to repair the skewed view some students have of Senate and show some compassion to the freshman candidates.
- Edited by Emma LeGault
No decision at hearing for former GTA
VICKY DIAZ-CAMACHO @vickyd_c
Former KU graduate teaching assistant Orion Mark Graf attended a continued motion hearing Sept. 17 to withdraw his no-contest plea to charges of rape.
The outcome of the motion hearing has not been decided, and the trial date was not set.
Senior District Attorney Amy McGowan told Judge Sally Pokorny that she had received an email from the victim saying Graf had contacted her through a letter this week.
"[The letter] goes into details about not having done the offense, about how he is functioning better mentally. He keeps contacting her. How do they keep him from contacting her?" McGowan asked Pokornv.
The victim was 18 years old at the time of the alleged crime and reportedly unconscious, according to records.
The officer present during the hearing confirmed that outgoing letters written by inmates are not read before being sent.
This May, Graf, 39, pleaded no contest on counts of rape and aggravated sodomy against an 18-year-old. He was represented by attorney Bran-
den Smith.
On July 22, represented by a new attorney, Michael Clarke, Graf said he wanted a mental evaluation to ascertain whether he was competent at the time of the original plea.
During today's hearing, McGowan said she has requested Graf's mental health records from Bert Nash Community Health Center to determine whether his competence was a factor.
The court held a preliminary hearing in July 2014 for all felony counts of attempted rape. The victim testified to the court she began dating Graf in March 2013 and said they had an on-and-off relationship that ended in November 2013.
The victim said Graf became physically violent early into the relationship. She testified in one instance, Graf "hit her, dragged her into his room, bound her ankles with tape and threatened to kill her," according to court transcripts.
He was charged with eight counts: counts 1-3, rape; count 4, aggravated criminal sodomy; count 5, sexual battery; count 6, aggravated assault; count 7, criminal threat; and count 8, battery.
"If he is allowed to withdraw his plea, they are going to set
district court. "They haven't resolved anything yet."
it for a trial or something else down the line. But it'll be some time until [then]," said Jacy Wolfe, criminal/traffic supervisor with the Douglas County
a $300,000 bond. If convicted,
he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Graf has been under under custody of the Douglas County sheriff since June 2014 with
- Edited by Colleen Hagan
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