10 sex crime allegations reported to Cal Poly this school year

Ten incidents of alleged sexual assault have been reported to Cal Poly this year, including one on March 31 at a house the university said was affiliated with the Delta Chi fraternity, the latest data released by the university shows.

The statistics, provided by the university at the request of The Tribune, show that Cal Poly has received 10 reports from students alleging either a sexual assault or attempted sexual assault since the start of the school year.

University officials said three were off-campus incidents associated with fraternities and reported to Cal Poly’s Title IX office, which administers complaints of sexual violence. Two incidents were affiliated with the Delta Chi fraternity and another with the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. Both fraternities are suspended by the university, although Alpha Gamma Rho’s suspension through spring 2017 stems from violations of campus alcohol and drug policies, according to the university’s Dean of Students Web page.

In addition to the fraternity-related cases, the office documented reports of five off-campus incidents of sexual misconduct this school year. The university also cited two anonymous reports of on-campus rapes that did not result in criminal investigations in either instance because the victims chose not to file criminal charges.

“We have followed our systemwide policies in reviewing and responding to each confidential report,” said Cal Poly spokesman Matt Lazier. “In all cases, the university provided appropriate confidential support, accommodations and resources to the reporting parties.”

Steven Pollock, the president of the Delta Chi fraternity at Cal Poly, said last week that his chapter is in “no way affiliated” with the alleged sexual assault on March 31 — an act that he called “heinous” — at a house where several fraternity members live with other nonfraternity members.

The incident took place about midnight at a home at 139 Longview Lane, where a woman reported being sexually assaulted by an unknown male at a party and was forced to drink alcohol against her will, according to a mass notification alert released by Cal Poly.

A reported attempted sexual assault also took place March 6 at Delta Chi’s fraternity chapter house at 1236 Monte Vista Place.

An unidentified man allegedly attacked a woman by holding her down with the intention to sexually assault her, according to Cal Poly. The survivor fought off her attacker and fled. The woman chose not to speak with police nor to report the incident to authorities; the incident did not result in a criminal investigation.

The university suspended the Delta Chi fraternity chapter while the office of the Dean of Students completes administrative reviews of both gatherings, Lazier said.

The university is required to issue notices under federal Clery Act regulations, which mandate that universities and colleges release information about certain crimes. Cal Poly sends out mass emails to the campus community and issues text messages to those who sign up with a text-messaging alert system.

The third report, associated with the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, allegedly took place Oct. 31 between 1 and 2 a.m. at the chapter house at 132 California Blvd., San Luis Obispo Police Department Capt. Chris Staley said. Staley said the investigation was inactive, but the department is not disclosing why or the nature of the allegation.

Cal Poly has concluded its university investigation into the incident at Alpha Gamma Rho, finding no fault associated with the fraternity.

“The university investigated to the fullest extent possible and determined that there was no party the night of the incident and that the fraternity bore no culpability,” Lazier said.

Not included in Cal Poly’s statistics on sexual assault reports this school year was the case reported against then-employee Mark Calixterio, a custodian. That alleged incident took place during the summer term, prior to the start of this academic year, and did not involve any Cal Poly students.

“The university takes all allegations of rape very seriously and follows all of its Title IX and sexual misconduct policies in each case,” Lazier said. “The university investigates each case as thoroughly as possible and provides all appropriate support to victims whenever possible, while also working to maintain victim privacy at all times.”

This story was originally published April 11, 2016 at 1:37 PM with the headline "10 sex crime allegations reported to Cal Poly this school year."