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Jun 05
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student conduct violations shanlon wu

A Mother and Father’s Day Letter About Student Conduct Violations

By college student defense

  “Is it too late?”   All too often, I get this question from a parent whose college student son or daughter has already been suspended or expelled for a Title IX violation, plagiarism accusation, or other student conduct code or academic honor code violation.  While it might seem obvious that a lawyer is needed if your son or daughter is accused of campus sexual assault or cheating, the reality is both students and families forego getting college student defense legal advice.  Why?  Here are some of the reasons parents and students give for failing to seek legal advice for a university discipline hearing: We Thought the School Would Be Fair Fairness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, but consider this:  fair “trials,” “legal proceedings,” and “investigations” are conducted by lawyers, judges (who are lawyers) and professional criminal investigators (police and other law enforcement).  These professionals have…

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May 08
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Why Title IX Compliance | campus vs criminal sexual assault shanlon wu

Why Title IX Compliance Isn’t Enough: “Those Who Can’t Do … Consult?”

By Uncategorized

George Bernard Shaw’s play “Man and Superman” contains the famous line: “Remember: those who can, do; those who can’t teach.”  The same may be said for Title IX consultants who offer training for colleges and universities in how to conduct Title IX campus sexual assault investigations. Title IX investigations should be conducted by Title IX investigators who have been trained by former sexual assault investigators, not consultants who merely instruct how to “comply” with Title IX law and guidance issued by the Department of Education.  Similarly, training for Title IX hearing panels should be conducted by Title IX trainers who are experienced sexual assault investigators.  Investigating a sexual assault is not the same as investigating sexual harassment. The skills and experience needed for Title IX campus sexual assault investigations do overlap with the skills and experience needed for criminal sexual assault investigations.   But the overlap works this way:  …

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May 01
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Nothing New Under the Sun: Melania Trump & the Art of the Plagiarist

By Uncategorized

First Lady Melania Trump got a pass for plagiarizing former First Lady Michelle Obama’s speech because a staffer took the blame. But college students accused of plagiarism seldom get a pass. Graduate students, college students, high school students, professors and journalists all get accused of plagiarism. Unlike the First Lady they lack any staffers to blame, so they suffer the consequences. The consequences can be severe. At many schools, plagiarism results in sanctions ranging from an “F” on a paper to expulsion. Mid-range sanctions may include failing the course and receiving notations on the student’s transcript. Such notations range from temporary ones to permanent ones and can follow a student when they seek transfer, graduate school admission, security clearances and employment. Even worse, applications of all types often ask if the applicant has ever merely been the subject of or accused of any academic honor code violation. For professional academics…

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Apr 21
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sexual assault survivors george washington university shanlon wu

High turnover at university creates instability for sexual assault survivors who need services

By campus sexual assault

On the George Washington University campus, there are several positions that are set up solely to help sexual assault victims. But according to a recent article from the campus newspaper, there is a frequent turnover for these crucial jobs, and victims and experts say the high turnover rate “creates an unstable environment” for the vulnerable people who need support. The paper reports that there have been three victim services coordinators – who provide support for victims during the reporting process – over the past three years, with an interim filling the vital role since the fall. The school says the turnover rate has nothing to do with the job itself, and that it’s normal for institutions of this size to have these kinds of turnover. There’s currently only one full-time staff member in the Title IX office. Shan Wu, a former federal prosecutor who focused on sex crimes for the…

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Mar 03
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How Will the Trump Administration Handle Sexual Assault on Campus?

By campus sexual assault

This week, I was interviewed by Danielle Masterson with WHDT World News about my thoughts on how the Trump Administration should handle cases of sexual assault on campus. Here’s the video and transcription: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BpmEw20rA0 Transcription: Danielle Masterson: Spring practice is just around the corner for football players at Michigan State. But media should not expect much from Coach Mark Dantonio. He’s not scheduled to meet with media, with his team returning to the practice field. It’s a significant departure from previous years and it likely has to do with campus sexual assault. There’s a criminal investigation into an alleged sexual assault involving 3 unidentified MSU football players, and a fourth person from the University. A full title 9 investigation is under weigh. For more on this sensitive topic, we turn to Shan Wu a former federal sex crime prosecutor and current defense attorney for students. Shan, for those who don’t…

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Feb 22
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shanlon wu campus sexual assault attorney

Did colleges overreact to the sexual assault crisis across the nation?

By washington post

Did colleges and universities overreact to the sexual assault crisis on campuses across the nation? According to student defense attorney Shanlon Wu, a former prosecutor who used to prosecute sexual assault cases, it’s more of an “overcorrection” that eliminates a lot of protections for the accused that they would usually get in a court of law. Wu shared his thoughts in an opinion piece for The Washington Post. “I know firsthand that prosecutors and police both consider sexual assault investigations to be among the most difficult cases to investigate and prosecute,” Wu wrote. Wu explained that police and prosecutors are wary when it comes to sexual assault cases involving college students, particularly because there’s often alcohol involved with one or both parties to the case. If alcohol was a factor, the victim could be rendered an ineffective witness, which could significantly weaken the case. When colleges and universities responded to…

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Feb 16
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Teen Vogue speaks with Shan Wu about Jeff Sessions

By Uncategorized

Jeff Sessions, the new U.S. attorney general under President Donald Trump, is no stranger to controversy. Sessions, who served as a U.S. senator for Alabama until the Senate confirmed him by a vote of 52-47, was confirmed on the first day of Black History Month. It’s a point of irony for some people who questioned his ability to run the U.S. Justice Department fairly and without bias after comments supporting the KKK, except for the hate group’s use of marijuana. In fact, his reportedly racist comments stopped him from being appointed as a federal judge in 1986. Teen Vogue recently talked with Shan Wu, a former federal prosecutor who worked for the same agency that Sessions is now overseeing, about the heavy-duty responsibilities that America’s newest attorney general is facing. Wu, who also served as an adviser to former Attorney General Janet Reno, explained that the U.S. Justice Department has…

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Nov 03
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UNL offers free legal help to students

By Uncategorized

College students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) campus can get legal advice on campus and even hire a lawyer  – for free. The university gives free legal help and represents students through a department called Student Legal Services. It’s a program that’s paid for completely with student fees. Shan Wu, a former federal prosecutor who’s based in Washington, D.C., and specializes in defending college students, said calling a lawyer should be the first thing you do if you think you could be in trouble. It’s a “no-brainer,” Wu said, particularly if the consequences of your offense – like suspension or expulsion – could affect your education. Of the 1,250 cases that Student Legal Services handles at the university each year, 25-30 percent of them are criminal charges. Of those cases, the majority are alcohol-related offenses. Jeffrey White, an attorney for Student Legal Services, said it’s crucial to get a…

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Aug 16
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Baltimore prosecutor on woman reporting rape

By washington post

The U.S. Justice Department released a 167-page bombshell of a report August 10 on the Baltimore Police Department. Although the report was released in response to the controversy surrounding the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody, buried at the bottom of the report was a disturbing find: Officers with the Baltimore Police Department often mishandle or dismiss sexual assault complaints. According to the Justice Department’s findings, detectives frequently neglected to interview suspects or send DNA for analysis. In a four-year period between 2010 and 2014, just 15 percent of adult sexual assault rape kits were tested. Even more troubling is that the “gender bias” of police officers was a major factor in officers choosing not to properly investigate sexual assaults. Officers are accused of asking women questions like, “Why are you messing up that guy’s life?” In 2015, 17 percent of sexual assault reports concluded with an arrest….

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