IU associate dean on leave amid sex misconduct allegations
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) - Indiana University has placed its associate dean of students on administrative leave amid allegations he sexually assaulted a woman in Texas during a December conference.
Jason Casares, who is IU's associate dean of students, its Title IX coordinator and also heads the school's student ethics office, is now on paid administrative leave, IU spokesman Mark Land said.
IU is conducting its own investigation into the allegations against Casares, he said.
"We'll move on this as quickly as is responsible because we understand the seriousness of the allegations," Land told The Herald-Times (http://bit.ly/1VV8hjH ).
A statement from Casares' attorney said his client "categorically denies the false accusations of sexual misconduct leveled against him" by the woman.
She alleges Casares sexually assaulted her in early December at a conference in Fort Worth, Texas.
Fort Worth Police Department Sgt. Steve Enright said that incident was reported Dec. 9 and is under investigation by the department. No charges have been filed against Casares.
The woman and Casares are both board members of the Association for Student Conduct Administration. She filed a formal complaint with ASCA's board following the alleged assault.
A statement released Thursday by ASCA to its membership states that after the complaint was filed with the group on Dec. 10, an independent investigator was hired to conduct an inquiry and present its findings to the board.
As a result of that investigation, the group's statement reads, her "claims could not be substantiated."
Casares was hired as director of IU's student ethics office in 2011. In that role, he sits on a three-person panel that investigates and hears cases of student misconduct, including sexual misconduct cases, should they reach that point.
Land said that in light of the allegations against Casares, IU is going to review all the sexual misconduct cases in the current academic year that have gone through the full hearing process.
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Information from: The Herald Times, http://www.heraldtimesonline.com