President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, among other top officials in the administration, won’t visit college campuses they think haven’t taken sexual assault seriously, The Washington Post reported Sunday.
The Post, citing “White House officials” reported that the president and vice president along with their wives and members of the cabinet won’t visit higher ed institutions where they believe college administrators have not seriously addressed sexual assault on their campuses and punished the perpetrators.
Biden has spearheaded the issue of addressing sexual assault for the Obama administration, visiting college campuses and advocating for greater awareness of the topic alongside celebrities.
Biden told the Post that he would like to see the government “take away their money” if institutions failed to properly address sexual assault cases.
Last month, the vice president responded to a high-profile case in which a man, Brock Turner, was sentenced to six months and convicted of three counts of sexual assault. The woman who was attacked, wrote an open letter to Turner detailing her pain throughout the ordeal. Biden responded to the woman, telling her in his own open letter published online, that she would “save lives.”
another BFD from the Obama administration… please carry thru with the threat to with hold funds… enough is enough…
I have a great idea!
How about tying rape reporting requirements to be implemented on campuses to accepting federal funding.
Oh, I forgot, that Congress’ job to pass legislation first, them bills are sent to President for signature to formally enact the law.
Well, they’re not going after funds just yet, and since graduation season is over with only a few months left for this administration, is this really a big deal?
It puts a spotlight on the situation and puts colleges on notice, as such, it seems more of a “bully pulpit” thing than anything else.
I’ll take it, but I hope there is more to come.
What a wonderfully creative way to use the WH’s bully pulpit for real influence and change! Yep, definitely a BFD, thanks, Joe and Barack.
I think it is. Someone has to start it. Besides, won’t it be just a tad more difficult on any subsequent administration if they say they’re not going to continue the policy, and will happily visit colleges who don’t do everything possible to address the issue?