Stung by criticism that he was unaware of accused murderer George Huguely V’s troubled past, University of Virginia President John Casteen will meet with Gov. Bob McDonnell to discuss a new law requiring police to inform universities of crimes by students.
Casteen requested the meeting as news outlets continue uncovering violent episodes involving Huguely, who is charged with first-degree murder in the death of classmate Yeardley Love.
Huguely has had three run-ins with the police in the last three years — which his coach and university officials say they didn’t know about.
He was arrested in 2008 after threatening to kill a female cop. One month later, Huguely’s father called police for help when the youth jumped off the family’s 40-foot boat in Palm Beach County, Fla., in a fit of rage. In 2007, Huguely was charged with possession of alcohol as a minor.
Huguely also attacked a teammate while he was sleeping because he thought the teammate kissed Love. Huguely and his badly bruised teammate confessed the altercation to his coach, who has not confirmed that disciplinary action was taken as a result. Casteen said he did not know anything about the attack.
Casteen is proposing that police agencies across the state be required to report student arrests to the university. Current policy requires students to self-report arrests. Students can be expelled or put on academic and social probation for certain breaches of the law, discouraging some students — particularly athletes — from self-reporting incidents, said Stetson University law professor Peter Lake.
“The pressure to win and compete and maintain eligibility is so strong that it actually plays against safety,” said Lake, an expert on disciplinary policy in higher education. Eight of the University of Virginia’s 41 male lacrosse players have been charged with alcohol-related offenses.
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said implementing new laws tracking down bad apples would be slow. Lawmakers probably won’t address the issue until November barring a special session, which would be unlikely, he added.
Lake said student transcripts should include incidents as seemingly trivial as bullying in middle school.
At the core of the university’s reform needs to be a drive for education, said Kate McCord, co-coordinator for the Virginia-based Red Flag Campaign, which raises awareness on abusive relationships.
McCord called 18 to 24 a “lethal” age for dating abuse.
According to Virginia’s chief medical examiner, the highest rate of intimate partner homicides is between those ages, and the most commonly reported precipitating factor was a break-up in the relationship. Love broke up with Huguely several weeks before her death.
