The J-TAC (Stephenville, Tex.), Vol. 173, No. 10, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 12, 2007 Page: 1 of 16

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TARLETON STATE UNIVERSITY, STEPHENVILLE
VCS
The J
April 12, 2007
SINCE 1919
Volume 176, No. 10
Records: Sexual
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assault numbers
underreported
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Courtesy: lightofdayproject.org
To see what the university has disclosed
to the federal government go to http://
www, ope,ed.gov/security/InstldCrirrie,
asp?CRITERIA=C
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This story zvas zvritten and reported
by Tarletoh journalism students Joseph
Berck, Morgan Christensen> Daniel Cou-
ncil, Erin Cooper; Kendrick Spencer,
Nicholas Svacekand Erik Walsh and zvas
based on additional reporting by Angela
Cooremcins, Hannah Scott, Clay Doyle,
Kelly Blaine, Joshua Daniels, Wdliam
English and Dameon Myres, Tarleton po-
lice records on which this article is based
Obefe dbffitiieil'yin&erike Texas Public In-
formation Act as part of the Freedom of
Information Foundation of Texas' Light
of Day Project,
The 19-year old Tarleton student
entered her dorm room on a cold, wet
day just before Thanksgiving with
little concern for her safety. Tarleton
State University after all, enjoyed
a reputation as the safest college in
Texas. She was expecting her room-
mate any minute and pulled her Cen-
tennial Hall dorm door shut, leaving
it unlocked.
She woke up just before sunrise
the next morning to a strange voice.
Another Tarleton student had opened
the door and walked into her room.
The intruder asked, the woman
her name and where her roommate
was. Her discomfort grew as the 6-
foot-3, 230-pouhd man closed the
door arid crawled into her bed.
She squirmed as he pulled her
closer to him. He ran his hands up
her shirt and down her shorts. She
told him to stop and that she had a
boyfriend. But cadi time she pushed
the man's big hands away he pushed
them back. Eventually he fell asleep
beside her.
As he slept, the woman set her
alarifl clock. When it went 'off, sAe
leapt from her bed pretending it was
time to get up. She escaped her room
scared and molested, then called a
friend to pick her up. Together they
called the Tarleton police. When offi-
cers arrived at her room, the man was
still in her bed. "I'm in bad trouble
now, aren't I?" he said as he awoke
and saw the police. •.
This incident, reported three
years ago, is one of 10 sex offenses
reported to the Tarleton Police De-
partment during the last five years,
according to records obtained under
the Texas Public Information Act.
The reports document allegations
ranging from unwelcome fondling to
rape. Allegations reported took place
in dormitories across campus. Nine
of the complaining parties were
See ASSAULT, Page 10
Founders Week 2QQ7 events included a dedication
ceremony at the original John Tarleton burial site,
in Patillo, XX and ceremonies at the burial site
near the main campus. Other events on campus >"
included a John Tarleton Open House, and the
1899 Pest, which included food and live music. ,
The annual Silver Taps ceremony is set for $ p,m.
Thursday, April 12 at Heritage Oaks Park.
Above: ROTC presents a ceremonial wreath at
the Patillo burial site. Photo contributed.
Above right: Taps is played at the Stephenville
campus burial site. Photo by Katie Thompson
Right: Brady Pendleton performs at 1&99 Fest.
Photo by Megan Young'
Below: ShaneHenry serves at dinnertime.,Photo
b> Megan Young.
Police records show
\
"
"*• r.f r
. Erik Walsh/The J-TAC
Reports show that Ferguson Hall had more burglaries than
any other residence hall on the Tarleton campus.
This story tvas written and reported by
Tarleton journalism students Angela Co-
oremans, Hannah Scott, Clay Doyle, Kelly
Blaine; Joshua Daniels, William English
and Dameon Myres, and was based on ad-
ditional reporting by Joseph Berck, Morgan
Christensen, Daniel Cornell, Erin Cooper;
Kendrick Spencer, Nicholas Svacek and Erik
Walsh, Tarleton police records on which
this article is based were obtained under the
Texas Public Information Act as part of the
Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas
Light of Day Project.
Tarleton State University' police re-
ports document more than twice the
number of burglaries that' the university
has disclosed tp the federal government
under a campus crime disclosure law,
records show.
Tarleton officials disclosed 29 bur-
glaries on campus between 2003 and
2005 to the U.S. Department of Educa-
tion. Police records, however, show
more than 60 burglaries during thai
same period.
Student journalists obtained 1,900
pages of police records under the Tex-
as Public Information Act. The records
covered crimes ranging on-campus
from petty theft to sexual assault. Under
a federal law known as the Clery Act,
colleges and universities are required
to disclose seven categories of serious
crimes, including burglaries, to the fed-
eral education department.
Tarleton officials said that the cam-
pus police report all crimes required un-
der the federal disclosure law. The Clery
Act "is something we take extremely
seriously/' Tarleton Vice President Roy
Floyd said.
"We follow the rules/' Tarleton Po-
lice Chief Robert Hooper added. "Ev-
ery thing that is reportable is reported/'
Floyd also said the university goes
"beyond compliance" with the. Clery
Act.' "We take it very seriously."
University officials said more than
60 burglaries documented in police
reports differ from the 29 publicly dis-
closed under Clery because of the ways
burglaries are counted and the defini-
tion of burglary.
For example, if a burglar broke into
several rooms in one dormitory over a
holiday, Hooper said he believes the law
requires his department to count those
SEE BURGLARIES, PAGE 9
Index
News 2
Opinion 3
Features 4
Entertainment 5
Campus Life 6,7
Sports 15,16
Sell-out?
J-TAC interviews Texas
country artist Randy Rogers.
See Page 4
Turtle Power!
L XT music festival patroned
by Tarleton students.
. See Page 5
DOC
Exploring Wicca
Center for Diversity Ini-
tiatives discusses Wicca.
See Page 6
Tenures
Tarleton professors re-
ceive tenures.
See Page 7
Cheerleading
Tarleton cheer squad captures
fifth place at nationals.
_ See Page 16
Track
Rey Hinojosa sets two school
records in less than a week.
See Page 16