Dive Brief:
- A group of prominent alumni and donors to Baylor University has announced the formation of a nonprofit advocacy group to force changes to the school's board of regents and its policy making on Title IX administration.
- "Bears for Leadership Reform" seeks increased transparency and accountability from university administrators on response to sexual assault, as the school faces ongoing controversy over personnel and reporting missteps in response to more than 15 alleged incidents believed to have been perpetrated by members of the football team.
- In a statement, Baylor officials said the university looked forward to the dialog and agreed with calls for increased accountability.
Dive Insight:
With any instance of sexual assault, there is always the possibility that coverage of the story can be extended by other previously unreported incidents being brought to public attention, or in the reaction of campus communities calling for reform and accountability. For campuses facing the crises, the rule of the day must always be to share all information that is known — and information being sought — with the public to express regret and commitment to preventing future incidents.
These stakeholders have the ability to reach lawmakers, other donors, potential students and corporate sponsors with their message and with their financial support. Ignoring them, or not making them feel a part of the reformation process, can only lead to additional problems with public relations, marketing and potentially, leadership retention.