ASWSU calls for Pac-12 to stand with ASUU
Associated Students of the University of Utah passed resolution stating disappointment toward the school
ASWSU senators Malvin Malai-Harrison, left, Melissa Torres, middle, and Donavyn Velez-Fucal listen during the meeting on Wednesday at the CUB. The Senate discussed how Utah filed a motion to dismiss the McCluskey lawsuit.
October 3, 2019
The ASWSU Senate passed a resolution Wednesday night in response to the University of Utah filing a motion to dismiss the $56 million lawsuit filed in June by Lauren McCluskey’s parents, Jill and Matt McCluskey, WSU professors. It calls for accountability from the University of Utah for failing to protect Lauren McCluskey.
The resolution was sponsored by the entire Senate and supports the Associated Students of the University of Utah’s (ASUU) expression of disappointment and concern over how the administration has responded.
ASWSU is also calling for support from each student Senate at Pac-12 universities to stand with ASUU. On Sept. 24, ASUU passed a resolution stating they were disappointed in the language used in the university’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
The resolution also stated their concern with the university stating its police department has no legal responsibility to protect students when threats involve parties not related to the university.
The resolution will be sent to WSU administration, Jill and Matt McCluskey, the University of Utah administration, ASUU and other Pac-12 university student governments.
“They failed this young woman so terribly,” said ASWSU Senator Hannah Martian. “I felt like we could ask other Pac-12 institutions for support and if nothing else, it brings light to this issue.”
Martian said it is difficult to read tweets from Jill McCluskey.
“It is so devastating to read Jill’s tweets — I can’t imagine a loss like that,” Martian said. “For no one to take accountability and for the people in charge to say, ‘It wasn’t on us’ is horrifying.”
