Carry the Weight

For John, BLUF:  "He said, she said" is always a problem.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The case of Columbia University Students Emma Sulkowic and Paul Nungesser is probably not a story that is well known, but it is an example of two important things, maybe three.

1. Universities seem like poor vessels for adjudicating sexual crimes.
2. Nevertheless, the cost of this Administrivia is running up student costs.  And,
3. We may be tinkering with our culture in ways that will have adverse impact into the future, as men become chary of women in University settings.

Here is an item from this weekend's New York Times Magazine, "Have We Learned Anything From the Columbia Rape Case?".  I am not sure it is such a good article.  I would suggest that it doesn't look down the road and consider the consequences.  If men on campus believe they have to steer clear of women due to concerns for false allegations, or even misunderstandings that turn into administrative proceedings, that will change relationships, perhaps driving us back toward what we might view as the Victorian period.♠  And, with men taking to Title IX to sue universities for their rights, the cost of education will continue to go up, and universities will have an incentive to return to the doctrine of in loco parentis as it was practiced back in the Dark Ages, say the 1950s.

As my middle Brother would point out, the solution is to teach men not to rape.  How is that to be done?  And, should we not also teach women not to lie about rape?

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Although I am not sure the Victorian Period was as we view it today.