Student leaders sent a letter to WSU President Kirk Schulz and Athletics Director Bill Moos asking them to ban recruitment of athletes who have pleaded guilty or been convicted of sexual violence, domestic violence, stalking, dating violence and sexual assault.

ASWSU President Jordan Frost, one of the letter’s signees, said other institutions have a similar policy and that it would be a step in the right direction for WSU to adopt one. He said Indiana University was the first to implement a policy like this a few months ago.

“It is a big deal,” he said, “and I thought WSU had something like this in place, but turns out we didn’t.”

The letter states that campus leaders have a duty to maintain the safety of WSU students and the surrounding community. It also states this policy would help prevent future sexual assaults and make clear that WSU is serious about confronting these issues.

Frost said this would give students a greater avenue to enter the conversation.

“Students have more weight on implementing this policy,” Frost said. “In my campaign’s platform we emphasized combating sexual assault, and now we have a chance to start doing that.”

Associate Director of Athletics Bill Stevens said Moos was not comfortable commenting on the policy at this time.

Frost said student and university leaders, including Schulz, are meeting later this summer to discuss the athletics policy, as well as sexual assault on campus in general.

Frost said that athletics is the most visible department at WSU and that implementing this policy will help lower sexual assaults at WSU.

“Athletics recruits athletes and know their background,” he said. “The university needs to look deeper so that we do not have an issue like the pitcher at Oregon State University.”

Frost was referring to an incident that surfaced during the College World Series, where OSU Pitcher Luke Heimlich did not register as a sex offender in Oregon after being convicted of molesting a 6-year-old relative when he was a teenager.

GPSA President Shane Reynolds also signed the letter and noted that athletes are not the main problem with sexual assault at WSU.

“This policy is just common sense,” he said, “to keep out offenders from being a part of the WSU community.”

Reynolds also said that the rationale behind this policy is beneficial to the safety of students.

“People who commit sexual assault and other assault crimes tend to repeat their offenses,” he said. “While this won’t immediately affect the climate at WSU, it will send a strong message that we will not tolerate that behavior.”

Frost said he felt that a new policy would send a message to athletes so that a situation like that at OSU does not occur at WSU.

“Alumni and donors are starting to support this policy,” he said, “and Greeks, athletics and all students will work together toward solving this issue.