Update: College at Brockport student made to leave campus after she was victim of domestic violence

Posted at: 10/26/2012 4:50 PM | Updated at: 10/26/2012 6:09 PM
By: Berkeley Brean | WHEC.com

"You have to move off campus. You can't stay here."

That's what a College at Brockport student says she was told by the school after she became a victim of domestic violence on campus.

This is a sensitive and nuanced story involving domestic violence on a campus still reeling from the dorm room murder of one of it's freshmen.

A student at the college says she was told she had to leave her dorm after she says her ex-boyfriend vandalized her car in a campus parking lot.

That was Wednesday.
     
The school had banned the ex-boyfriend from the campus a week earlier.

The student -- whose name we are not using -- said she moved on campus to get away from danger and she says the college was very helpful, finding her a dorm room. But after this week's on campus vandalism, she was told she had to leave.

And last night she found herself in a downtown hotel.

"I feel shocked and kind of a little upset," the student told us.

We met the student at an undisclosed location today. She showed us video of the hotel room she was placed at last night.

"So there's a roach," she said pointing the video on her phone. It was a room she was placed at through social services and Alternatives for Battered Women.

"Did you feel safe there?" I asked.
"No I did not. I did not," she said.

Here's how we arrived at last night

In early October -- the student got an order of protection against her ex-boyfriend. She asked the College at Brockport for help and the college found her a dorm room. On October 18th -- the college sent a letter to the ex telling him he was restricted from the campus.

But Wednesday -- according to the university police report -- the student's car was vandalized. Police pictures show the windows were smashed and the tires slashed.

Click here to look at the police pictures

The report suspected the ex-boyfriend and described him as having a "lengthy criminal record" and is known to "carry firearms."

So on Thursday the student had an emergency meeting with college officials and she says this is what they told her.

"You have to move off campus. You can't stay here," she recalled.

The student says she was told that her presence on campus put other students at risk.

"So they told you, whatever you decide to do, you have to leave campus," I said.
"Yes."
"You have to get off of campus?"
"I have to get off of campus," she said.

Here is the statement we received from the College at Brockport.

When we just learned of the seriousness of her situation, including the criminal history of her ex-boyfriend, we determined that in this specific case we could not provide the necessary level of safety for the student. College officials decided it was most appropriate to refer her to an organization that specializes in domestic violence issues and would be better equipped to protect the student's safety as well as provide the additional resources she may require.

Last evening a College representative contacted the student to check on her and was told of the student's concern with where she had been placed. The student was told that the College would contact the appropriate people and organizations today to find her safe, appropriate housing. The College continues to work to ensure the safety of this student, and all of our students.

We can tell you that the college has found a new, cleaner and safer place for the student to stay.

The student is not banned from campus but the college does not want her going to class. So the college working out arrangements where she can continue her class work from off-campus.

 

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