KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Six women have sued the University of Tennessee, saying the school created a culture of sexual assault by student athletes, especially football players, the Tennessean reported.
The lawsuit also says UT is biased against victims in its adjudication process.
The plaintiffs claim UT is in violation of Title IX, which is meant to prevent discrimination based on gender in an educational setting that receives federal funds.
The six plaintiffs, who are anonymous, accused five Tennessee athletes of sexual assault: former basketball player Yemi Makanjuola, former football players A.J. Johnson, Michael Williams and Riyahd Jones and a current football player who was not named.
In addition, the suit mentions a sexual assault of a female student committed by a nonathlete, who was also not named. In that case, the victim said she was served drinks by former football player Treyvon Paulk at a party prior to the assault.
In total, the lawsuit listed more than a dozen incidents involving football players, including underage drinking, sexual harassment, assault and armed robbery, as well as sexual assaults on other women who are not the plaintiffs.
According to the lawsuit, the UT administration showed “deliberate indifference and a clearly unreasonable response after a sexual assault that causes a student to endure additional harassment.”
The plaintiffs oppose the hearing process because students accused of sexual assault are allowed to have an attorney and cross-examine the accuser. This type of administration hearing process, which is used at public universities throughout Tennessee but not elsewhere in the country, is an evidentiary hearing with a judge appointed by UT Chancellor Jimmy Cheek.
The suit claims student-athletes would often hire a prominent attorney, and the university would support them through the process.
Delay was another complaint mentioned in the lawsuit, which said the university “delayed the investigation process until the athlete perpetrators transferred to another school or graduated without sanction or discipline.”
Though one of the accused, A.J. Johnson, was suspended at the end of his senior season, he still participated in the commencement ceremony.
The plaintiffs are seeking reimbursement and pre-payment of their tuition, as well as damages.
The University of Tennessee provided the following statement, per the Tennessean:
“Like the many other college campuses facing the challenges of sexual assault, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has devoted significant time and energy to provide a safe environment for our students, to educate and raise awareness about sexual assault, and to encourage students to come forward and report sexual assault. When the University receives a report of sexual assault, we offer care and support to the person who came forward and work to investigate and resolve the matter in a timely, thorough, and equitable manner. When warranted, the University takes disciplinary action but will not do so in a manner that violates state law or the constitutional due process rights of our students.
“In the situations identified in the lawsuit filed today; the University acted lawfully and in good faith, and we expect a court to agree. Any assertion that we do not take sexual assault seriously enough is simply not true. To claim that we have allowed a culture to exist contrary to our institutional commitment to providing a safe environment for our students or that we do not support those who report sexual assault is just false. The University will provide a detailed response to the lawsuit and looks forward to doing so at the appropriate time, and in the proper manner.”
