San Diego State and Chico to be audited on sexual assaults

State auditors will review how San Diego State University and Cal State Chico handle sexual assault allegations, officials confirmed Wednesday.

The campuses join UCLA and UC Berkeley as the subjects of a state audit proposed in August by Assemblyman Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood). The audit request followed testimony by students who alleged administrators at UC Berkeley showed “deliberate indifference” after being notified about sexual assaults.

“I’m really glad to see the state is taking action on this and I hope states across the country will follow suit,” said Sofie Karasek, one of two UC Berkeley students who testified about her assault by a fellow Berkeley student.

Karasek and eight other Berkeley students also filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education alleging the school had violated the Clery Act, a 1990 law requiring campuses to accurately report campus crime.

Campuses across the country have been the subject of similar federal complaints alleging that victims are discouraged from reporting their assaults by campus administrators and retaliated against when they do. Locally, USC and Occidental College are under investigation by federal officials after students and faculty at the schools filed formal complaints last spring.

The complaints have also fueled student activism at several California campuses. Earlier this week, the Berkeley student government hosted a workshop on sexual assault. On Thursday, survivors of sexual assault will hold a “speak-out,” and next Monday, a town hall is scheduled for students to talk about their experiences, Karasek said.

The state audit will look at whether the campuses complied with federal and state laws governing the handling of sexual assault allegations between 2009 and 2013.

Among the issues that will be investigated are how the universities try to prevent sexual assault, whether students are informed about their rights, and how allegations are investigated by the schools.

The final report is expected to be released in April.

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