University of Virginia Library

In University Vicinity

Administration Reacts To Assaults

By Stefan Lopatkiewicz
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

In response to recent assaults on
women near the Grounds of the
University, the Department of
Security has released a circular
advising female students on proper
conduct on or near the Grounds.

Wade Bromwell, Director of
University Security, said that the
letter, reprinted at right, is being
issued to all University students,
not just female students, in order to
advise them of "some things which
they can do to prevent further such
occurrences."

The department's letter
followed the reporting of three
separate incidents in which females
were raped in the Rugby Road area.
In the first incident, which
allegedly took place on October 13,
a graduate female student of the
University reported that she was
raped at approximately 9 p.m.
behind the Faculty Apartments on
Rugby Road. During the past
weekend, two more cases of rape,
both involving the dates of
University students, were reported,
one of them in the front yard of
Westminster Presbyterian Church.
All three of the assaults were
allegedly committed by
non-students.

Mr. Bromwell asserted that since
the assaults took place off the
Grounds, the University Police do
not have jurisdiction in the matter.
"The cases are being actively
investigated by the city police," he
said, "and we are working closely
with them."

Dean of Women

Mary E. Whitney, Dean of
Women at the University, reported
that "a meeting of concerned men
and women as well as University
officials" took place yesterday
afternoon, in which possible
courses of action on the part of the
University concerning the situation
were discussed.

The circulation of the security
department's letter among girls
colleges and schools in the area was
one step which she said might be
taken. "At this point I don't know
whether I would take care of this or
whether Mr. Bromwell would," she
said.

"We talked of an educational
program which both men and
women in the University would
take." she added, and noted. "The
women under this program would
be instructed to take on more
responsibility in such cases."

When asked concerning the
meeting, D. A. Williams, Dean of
Student Affairs, said, "Naturally,
we're going to do something, but
right now I think it's a little
premature to discuss it." He added,
"This would concern not only our
female students, but our female
staff, wives of faculty, etc."

"A Proper Statement"

He noted that "a proper
statement suggesting that their
students, as well as ours, be alerted
to the situation" would probably
be sent to girls' schools in the area.

Ed Hayes, president of the
Interfraternity Council, said that
his organization as also releasing a
letter concerning the incidents.
"The Interfraternity Council will
take immediate steps to improve
the lighting around fraternity
houses and the fraternity area," he
said. "Further, we hope to provide
for better police surveillance.

"Each fraternity is being
required to insure that its parties
are controlled and that only
brothers, their invited guests, and
students of the University are
allowed to attend them."

Concerning a statement which
he was quoted to have said at
Monday's IFC meeting, he said "I
am sorry that an error in the story
covering the Interfraternity
Council meeting made it seem as if
I felt the hostesses were at fault for
the incidents of the weekend. The
incidents were in no way connected
with the actions by the hostesses.

"I did say I thought fraternities
should utilize their hostesses more
effectively. Hostesses should
increase their efforts to arrange for
escorts and transportation for
unescorted dates. However,
individual students must take on
greater responsibility for their dates
and unescorted girls."