UBC sex assault complainant filing human rights grievance

One of the complainantsin a UBC sex assault investigation says she will be filing a human rights complaint against the university, despite findings the institution acted in "good faith."

GlynnisKirchmeieris one of several current and former graduate studentsinthe university's history departmentwho alerted university officials to allegations of sexual harassment by a male PhD candidate

UBC hired independent lawyerPaula Butler to investigatecriticism raised by the complainantsthat it took far too long to act on multiple allegationsagainst the student complaintsexposed in an investigation by CBC's the fifth estate.

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Kirchmeiersays she's glad to see the political will to move the issue forward at the university, but she's taking matters into her own hands in the meantime.

"Rather than trusting the internal politics of the university, I'm filing an external human rights complaint because that's a process that's accountable to somebodyelse outside the university," she said.

"Given the historyof the university, I can't just assume that they would take this report to heart and use it to change policy."

The report's findings show the university acted in "good faith" andthere was no breach of theuniversity's policies. In her report, Butler said there was a delay because of a lack of clarity around the process for reporting and responding to assaults.

Complainants not told of report's release

Kirchmeiersays the report's findings the university followed proceduredidn't come as a surprise to her.

However, what did come as a surprise was the report itself: shesays she wasn't informed it was being released on Monday. Another alleged victim told CBC News she found out about the report's release on Twitter.

"They have not agreed to give it to me as a participant," Kirchmeier said.

Sara-Jane Finlay, UBC'sassociate vice-president ofequity and inclusion, said the university cannot release the full report because of confidentiality issues.

"The full report has a great deal of private information," she said.

University acted in 'good faith'

Finlay emphasized the report's findings that the university acted in good faith.

"Although there were some concerns raised about human error, ultimately her feeling was that people were trying to do the right thing," Finlay said.

The fifth estate investigationwas the first to report the students' allegations of inaction by the university, detailing it was a least 18 months before anything was done.

However, Butler's report called that time frame "misleading," because in one case a formal complaint was not made until almost a year after the assault allegation was raised.

But, as the fifth estate reported at the time, various students began approaching top officials at UBC with their allegations of sexual assault at least as far back as a year-and-a half before any action was taken.

However, an executive summary of the university's ownreport points out that theUBC Harassment and Discrimination Policy "does not explain the difference between a formal and informal complaint."

Finlaysaid university officials will take the report's findings seriously.

"Her findings around delay and clarity will be central to the policy development process and our action plan," she said.

UBC says a draft of the sexual assault policy they are working on is expected to be prepared by June.