IN 2016, THE UNIVERSITY of Texas at Dallas accepted a transfer student from Baylor University. At the time, admissions officials did not know that Jacob Anderson, who unenrolled from Baylor before officially being expelled, was under investigation in connection with the rape of another student at a party his fraternity hosted.
That changed last week, when Anderson pleaded no contest in the case and a Texas judge accepted a deal in which the former fraternity president will receive no jail time and won't be required to register as a sex offender.
Outraged, and at the urging of students demanding action from the administration, University of Texas at Dallas President Richard Benson banned Anderson from campus, including for upcoming commencement activities, and said he would not be allowed to continue taking graduate school classes there.
"Two years ago we admitted a student without knowing their legal history," Benson wrote in an open letter to the school community, in which he called for a full review of the school's application and enrollment process. "I assure you that UT Dallas will be a leader in providing safe learning and working environments."
The unfolding of events shine a light on a murky area of college admissions, one that's prompting higher education officials to think about how they can defend against admitting students accused or convicted of sexual harassment or sexual assault but in a way that both allows for second chances and ensures the safety of their students.
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