© 2024 Maine Public | Registered 501(c)(3) EIN: 22-3171529
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Scroll down to see all available streams.

UMaine At Farmington Interim President Responds To Allegations That The School Mishandled Rape Cases

University of Maine photo

Following aBangor Daily News story that describes the mishandling of rape cases brought by two female students at the University of Maine Farmington, the school's interim president says changes are underway.

Eric Brown says that, as painful as the cases were to read about, they present an opportunity for the campus to take action, engage in conversation and hear from more students, “who may be emboldened by the stories that were told in the paper to come forward and tell us how the campus can better serve them.”

The Bangor Daily News account details how University committees decided that the two women had been sexually assaulted, but the findings were ultimately overturned, in one case by the college's then-president. Questions were asked about whether the procedures violated federal law.

Brown says UMF is looking for a new vice president for student affairs and a new mental health counselor. Both positions were already planned, but Brown says the school will be paying special attention to make sure those hired have expertise in sexual assault issues.

The interim president says a number of forums will be taking place over the next couple of weeks to bring together the campus community.

"If you think that you've been let down, tell us about that, and let us know, and let's excavate, and let's improve this and let's continue to focus and concentrate and commit to it," says Brown.

Ed is a Maine native who spent his early childhood in Livermore Falls before moving to Farmington. He graduated from Mount Blue High School in 1970 before going to the University of Maine at Orono where he received his BA in speech in 1974 with a broadcast concentration. It was during that time that he first became involved with public broadcasting. He served as an intern for what was then called MPBN TV and also did volunteer work for MPBN Radio.