-: I want to speak today to our students, faculty and staff.
Sexual assault is heinous and should never happen.
I wish we lived in a world where it didn't.
We've taken a number of steps on our campus
to prevent sexual assault,
to help ensure victims feel comfortable coming forward,
to support survivors, and to investigate
and address allegations of sexual misconduct.
This week, sexual assaults were reported
to our UNL police department
and they immediately began investigating each of them.
My heart breaks at the thought of any young person
facing that trauma at the beginning
of their collegiate experience,
or at any time they're a member of our UNL family.
I know that our UNL police chief, Hassan Ramzah,
also takes this very seriously
and uses a trauma informed approach
in working with the victims
and thoroughly investigating each case,
as he's doing right now.
We all wish that resolution of these cases
could come swiftly,
but often it's not as simple as locking them up.
The guarantee of due process is part of our Constitution
and core to who we are as Americans.
Our law enforcement officials, our Title IV officials
are bound by clear legal guidance and process.
As a university, we have a responsibility
to follow that defined process
and protect the rights of all involved,
even while we move as quickly as we can.
And I know that the end of that legal process
sometimes just doesn't feel like justice.
I get that.
I understand many of you are angry. I'm angry too.
We will always work harder and to do better
to help prevent sexual assault
and I hope all of you will as well.
If you see something, say something.
Stick together, be safe, take care of one another.
And if you're a young man who somehow thinks this is cool,
think again.
It is unacceptable.
No means no.
And if you violate that and we can prove it,
you have no place on our campus.
This message includes safety
and victim resources available to our UNL community.
Please make sure you are aware
of all of the safety measures available to you.
And if you are a victim of sexual assault or harassment,
there are people here to help you.