Faculty and student employees at Colorado State University-Pueblo were introduced to a new and updated training on sexual misconduct and Title IX over winter break. The training was broken up into two series and each series took about 30-45 minutes to complete.
The training was updated and issued by Director, Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action and Title IX Coordinator, Roosevelt T. Wilson as well as Associated Director, Office of Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action and Deputy Title IX Coordinator, Kaitlyn Blakey.
“The other training was outdated. Legislature has changed and expanded for civil rights,” Wilson said about the previous training in comparison to the updated training.
Amanda Greene, a sophomore exercise science major and student employee in the athletics department took part of the new training.
“The training was really educational, it was long but I feel like I learned some things I didn’t know before the training , which is the whole point of them,” Greene said.
Title IX first focused on athletics but has expanded to much more beyond just athletics. It has started to focus on the civil rights of a person according to Wilson. He stated that it could be thought of in two parts consisting of gender equality and sexual misconduct.
“In 1927, every school with federal funding could not discriminate based on sex,” Blakey said about Title IX.
“Around 2010 is when it was used to fight sexual misconduct,” Blakey added.
When asked whether they believed if the newly updated training could be more helpful in prevention of sexual misconduct and discrimination in the workplace, both Wilson and Blakey were hopeful.
“I would like to think it will have some impact but I understand it is not a cure all. It’s just a piece of our prevention measures,” Wilson said.
“I think it’s a great tool, if you don’t get anything out of it at least your eyes have been on it,” Blakey said.
More information on the training and if any students, faculty or staff members who are victims of sexual harassment or assault, they are encouraged to contact Wilson at 719-549-2210/2223 or via email at [email protected]. For after hours/emergencies, Wilson can be contacted at 719-290-7332.
Cash • Feb 7, 2016 at 1:47 am
A note: a 20 year-old’s life has been turned upside down and when I tell you that Grant needs his community now, I can’t say that enough. This is very hard for him to come to grasps with so he really needs your support.
To everyone that reads my posts – Harald and I have never been more furious in our lives. Please take 10 minutes to read my post. This is the life of a young man named Grant Neal, Terran’s best friend, a 2 time state champion wrestler and football player from Regis Jesuit High School who went on to play football at CSU Pueblo, was the regional D2 freshman player of the year last year and now has been found guilty of non consensual sex (rape) It’s our duty to inform everyone about this miscarriage of justice and his rights to due process + to do everything in our power to bring attention to this injustice. Presidential candidates right now have this on their agenda, clearly campaigning that due process needs to be implemented under Title IX.
Title IX could affect any of you that have children, no one knows about Title IX (a landmark federal civil right that applies to all educational institutions and in which these colleges or universities receive federal funding for it, if a quota is met in reporting these cases) What it really means is that if you are accused of sexual misconduct, harassment or rape in college you have NO RIGHTS!
We, as parents, teach our boys about sexual misconduct, harassment and rape as they grow into adulthood and become sexually active. The collegiate football coaches speak about this to our sons religiously, further enforcing the obvious laws which justifiably protect women and potential victims of sex based crimes. Conversely, one would assume that our sons are also protected by the law, and due process at the conclusion of a fair trial if accused of committing such a crime … but what if there is no trial, what if your judge, jury and executioner is one man who is bound to not only meet a quota but is also not educated in any form of law. There is no due process, there is only judgement based on how a case is presented.
Grant Neal has been accused of non consensual sex (rape) and has subsequently been suspended from school following a rejected appeal of this allegation. His accuser is not the alleged victim but the friend of an alleged victim who presented a second hand account of an incident between two consenting adults to the athletic training director who then presented this to the Title IX director at CSU Pueblo.
Grant Neal had consensual sex with the alleged victim and had an ongoing relationship with her both before and after the reported accusation. Following the sexual encounter, there are numerous text messages between Grant and the alleged victim which indicate a mutually affectionate and civil relationship even hours following the alleged incident. The alleged victim is an athletic trainer at CSU Pueblo and it is against policy to fraternize with athletes under their care. The athletic peer that the alleged victim shared her encounter with questioned her about the hickey on her neck and this is when the accusation was established. Following this encounter, the alleged victim texted Grant in a panic state asking to meet with him. Her texts showed she was clearly worried about her conversation with her athletic training peer and that it now involved Grant. She was very apologetic and remorseful to Grant through texts. Grant at this time met with her completely unaware of the accusations that were coming his way. Grant and the alleged victim went back to his house to watch movies, he consoled and assured her that she couldn’t possibly get in trouble for the hickey. Grant started realizing the potential gravity of the situation through their conversations and that’s when he hit the record button on his phone. Within that recording of that conversation one can clearly see a civil and non threatening rapport between the two. In that recording the alleged victim clearly states that Grant didn’t rape her. (Harald and I heard the voice recording) An hour later the two engaged in consensual sexual intercourse once again. These are not the actions of a victim of rape. There are witnesses the saw the alleged victim clearly straddling Grant during the 2nd consensual sexual encounter.
We have personally reviewed all of the evidence, the documents, text messages and recordings, but as parents of a daughter ourselves we are always apt to give the most vulnerable and weaker party the benefit of the doubt yet in this case the evidence is so compelling and irrefutable that the victim in this case is clearly the accused.
When the burden of proof is so convincing and irrefutable there seems to be no possible way that this could not be a case that is summarily dismissed. There are voice recordings, hand written letters, snap chats, numerous text messages, and even a subsequent sexual encounter, hardly the common place response to a victim who has been raped there’s not even a direct accusation of rape from the victim herself. The alleged victim told Grant Neal that she has gone into CSU Pueblo numerous times to see the Title IX director and tell him that Grant Neal didn’t rape her however he has stated he has made his decision and she is clearly distraught.
It is absolutely preposterous that Grant Neal should face life altering consequences for an act which was consensual and completely lacking in any criminal nature. If Grant were a rapist then why is he not faced with criminal proceedings. How can there be an assumption of guilt with such clear cut proof of innocence.
Under a review of this case by the Title IX officer at CSU Pueblo, Grant was found guilty. Under Title IX he had no rights to an attorney in the case, he has no guaranteed right against self-incrimination, the alleged victim will not be allowed to be crossed examined, there’s no right to constitutional due process, the school may only give a summary of the evidence against you and can limit your presentation of evidence, the school must immediately investigate the allegation of possible sexual violence no matter how far-fetched or unbelievable and take interim measures against the respondent before determining whether any wrongdoing occurred. Untrained or poorly trained students or faculty members conduct the investigation. The decision-maker determines whether it was ‘more likely than not’ (just over 50%) that you are responsible for misconduct. You may not have the rights to appeal and if you do have the right to appeal they can exclude any evidence they wish.
Now if the alleged victim was truly raped and took this case to the police – Grant would have the right to an attorney, even if he couldn’t afford one. He would have the right confront and cross-examine the accuser, he has the right to due process of law and a fair trial. He would have the rights to know the charges and evidence against him and right to present a thorough defense. Trained police officers investigate and professional prosecutors decide whether to bring a case. A judge and grand jury also decide whether there is probably cause to issue charges and there is a neutral judge and impartial jury to decide the case. If you are found guilty, you have the right to appeal to higher courts also made up of neutral judges, raising legal errors or violations of constitutional rights.
But Grant Neal was not accused of rape to the police, or the courts. He didn’t rape the alleged victim. He has lost his wrestling and football scholarship, removed from the pre-med program. He’s not allowed to go near the CSU-Pueblo campus. He can’t transfer colleges because his transcript now states he is a rapist.
The alleged victim is incredibly remorseful in her snap chats and hand written letters sent in the mail to Grant (all of which are documented), stating she wishes she could make this all go away.
When the alleged victim graduates from college in 2018 or 19 he can then reapply to CSU Pueblo.
Having known Grant for most of his life, and as anyone knows him can attest Grant Neal is a one of a kind, and an exemplary student, athlete but primarily a person. We have developed an incredibly close bond with Grant because of the person he is and the best friend he is to Terran. There’s a level of dedication that few can hope to attain that is deeply rooted into the personality of Grant Neal. He spends most of his life perfecting himself as a football player, as a student and as a human being. We have nothing but deep admiration and respect and know without a shadow of a doubt that he is innocent in this case.
Be forewarned that any one of our children can fall victim to an incident such as this. Whether we like it or not kids seek out and are having sex in college and this could have happened to anyone who is sexually active in our country’s educational institutions. It is an affront to all the real victims of rape to let this incident stand!
If you feel so inclined please voice your support by sending a letter to the president of CSU Pueblo at the miscarriage of justice that has occurred here. A young man’s life hangs in the balance and the institution at fault needs to be held responsible.
CSU Pueblo has violated Grant Neal’s rights under the Title IX, the federal gender equity law, after he was found guilty of non consensual sex. He has been wrongfully accused and suspended after a night of consensual sex followed by another night of consensual sex. These false allegations made against him and the resulting failures by CSU Pueblo that he trusted have wreaked havoc in his life.
What we do know is this: Colleges and universities have been under pressure from the federal Department of Educations’s Office for Civil rights to address sexual violence on campus or face the withholding of federal education money.
Grant is 20 years-old and at this time he needs a village of support. He has zero control of his future and by sending a letter it’s one more hope that this case will be reviewed and reversed.
Thank you for listening & I’m happy to answer any questions. Keep in mind Grant can’t do anything legally to reverse this appeal as the school is protected by the Title IX provision. Our only hope right now is to bring attention to CSU Pueblo, the president of the university, the governor, the mayor, State Senator, Marco Rubio (who’s an advocate of due process under Title IX being implemented), President Obama – this letter is going in anyone’s hands I can get it into and revisions must be made – college kids must have the right to a fair trial if accused. + again I will never, ever recommend CSU Pueblo to anyone!
Aundrea & Harald Hasselbach
(clearly the alleged victim said something to her athletic training peer in a moment of desperation and fear to cover her relationship with a football player and save her spot in the athletic training program and clearly she wasn’t prepared for what would happen next. There is no documentation that shows the alleged victim telling the Title IX director that she was involved in non consensual sex with Grant Neal)
Send letters to
CSU Pueblo
Lesley Di Mare (president of the university)
Colorado State University-Pueblo. 2200 Bonforte Blvd. Pueblo, CO 81001-4901
Or email: [email protected]