Critics challenge Baylor claim of no sex offenses in 4 years

DALLAS (AP) — Baylor University did not report a single instance of sexual assault in a four-year span, according to federal statistics, a finding that stands in sharp contrast to the many other private and public schools that made multiple reports over the same period.

The Baptist school of 16,000 students in Waco has faced mounting criticism over its response to sex assaults on campus, and some critics contend administrators have failed to fully investigate complaints, including two involving football players who were later convicted.

[...] a lawsuit was filed last week by a group of women alleging that the University of Tennessee violated federal Title IX anti-gender discrimination regulations and created a "hostile sexual environment" through a policy of indifference toward assaults by student-athletes.

The rise coincides with implementation of the federal Violence Against Women Act, which affords more protections for sex assault victims, and a 2011 warning by the Education Department that schools have a legal responsibility to investigate allegations of sexual assault immediately, even if a criminal probe is not finished.

Baylor's governing board announced new measures last week to improve the school's response to sexual assaults, including hiring more counselors and additional training for faculty and staff, but the board did not provide details.

The Texas attorney general's office, meanwhile, recently determined that the university can keep private campus police records that detail the assaults committed by Ukwuachu and Elliott.