Report: EMU broke law by hiding student's slaying

Paul Egan and Marisa Schultz / The Detroit News

YPSILANTI -- Eastern Michigan University Regent Thomas Sidlik admitted Friday the school mishandled the reporting of a campus murder in December after the board of regents received a report saying the university violated federal law.

"The report reveals a systemic failure to comply with the federal Clery Act, including the failure to warn the campus of potential danger" following the Dec. 15 rape and murder of 22-year-old Laura Dickinson in her dorm room, Sidlik said in a statement posted on the university Web site. Sidlik is chairman of the board of regents.

"The findings are clear: This university got it wrong. What happened was unacceptable."

The report by the Detroit law firm Butzel Long, commissioned by the regents, said the school violated federal law by misrepresenting the circumstances of Dickinson's death and issuing a statement the day after the killing that said "there is no reason to suspect foul play."

The report also criticizes university officials for failing to correct that misleading statement until a student was charged with rape and murder on Feb. 23.

The university board will continue to review the report and will aim to have recommendations for EMU President John Fallon by its June 19 meeting, said Regent James Stapleton.

The report is the latest blemish for the university, which has been beset by internal strife stemming from a professors strike last fall and the abrupt departure of three regents in December.

The Clery Act requires universities to publicly disclose certain matters related to campus safety and security, and give timely warning of crimes that represent a threat to safety. If the U.S. Department of Education determines the university violated the law, Eastern Michigan could face fines of up to $27,500 per violation. At worst, the university could face sanctions that would limit or suspend participation in the federal student aid program, said Stephanie Babyak, a department spokeswoman in Washington, D.C.

Greg Jones, the EMU student body president, called for "swift action" in light of the report to change policies and hold university administrators accountable. But Jones stopped short of calling for any specific officials to be fired and said he hopes the debacle will not affect EMU's participation in federal student aid programs.

"That would be punishing students for actions or inactions by administrators," said Jones, 21, of Allen Park.

Fallon was unable to comment Friday because he's still reviewing the 568-page report, according to Jackie Kurtz, secretary to the board of regents.

"On behalf of the board, I apologize and pledge that the safety of our students and the well-being of the entire campus community is of paramount importance," Sidlik said.

Jim Vick, EMU's vice president for student affairs, is accused in the Butzel Long report of shredding a police investigation report. Vick did not return a phone call Friday for comment. In a previous interview with The Detroit News, he denied any wrongdoing and allegations of a cover-up.

According to the Butzel Long report, Vick said he had the graphic police report shredded during the week of Dec. 18-22 at the direction of Department of Public Safety Chief Cindy Hall. But Hall denied directing Vick to shred it. Vick has been on administrative leave since March, pending the results of the investigation.

The Butzel Long report, expected to cost the university more than $400,000, said Fallon approved what it called the "no foul play statement" on Dec. 16, despite the fact that the county medical examiner and the university Department of Public Safety believed on Dec. 15 that a homicide was a reasonable possibility.

"Despite disputes or discrepancies about the details, it is clear that Vick acquired sufficient information (the day of the killing) to lead him to believe that homicide was a possibility," the report said.

But Fallon did not get sufficient information from Vick, campus police or others to lead him to believe that, and Fallon did not seek additional information from anyone other than Vick, the Butzel Long report said.

It appears Vick and/or Hall made a conscious decision to label the Dickinson investigation a "death" investigation, rather than a murder investigation, the report said.

Dickinson's family could not be reached for comment. Students said they were disappointed to learn of the university's response after Dickinson's death.

"I feel that if there was suspicion of a homicide on campus, it's the university's duty to let students know about it," said senior Ashley Nelson, 23, as she walked back from the library Friday afternoon.

Nelson said she lives just three blocks from campus and would have wanted to know to be on guard. "I don't think they needed to bring out all the gory details, just that there could be someone harmful on campus and students should be aware of it.," she said.

Fifth-year senior Mahssa Rashidy, 24, said she was disgusted with the university's response.

"The school has been lying so much that I don't know what to believe," she said.

At the Hill Hall dorm Friday, students' doors were decorated with stars or colorful signs bearing their names. TVs blared. Outside one room was the lone sign of the tragic crime: a brown teddy bear, a vase of pink flowers and a small folded sign that read: "Laura May you rest in peace."

Detroit News Staff Writer Jennifer Mrozowski contributed to this report. You can reach Paul Egan at (313) 222-2069 or pegan@detnews.com.