VIDEO: Dooley, “We’re Handling It” - Dismisses That Sexual Incident Be Investigated Independently

VIDEO: Dooley, “We’re Handling It” - Dismisses That Sexual Incident Be Investigated Independently

After an alleged sexual incident at the President of the University of Rhode Island’s home took place in August, at an event attended by powerful members of the RI General Assembly, URI President David Dooley is dismissing the idea that the investigation should be referred to outside law enforcement for investigation.

GoLocal News Editor Kate Nagle caught up with Dooley at a press announcement in Providence and pressed him on the investigation of the incident at the party.

Dooley said that the University always keeps these types of reviews within the University system and that they are not referred to outside law enforcement.

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“The process always is for an event on campus or people on campus to go through our Title IX office. That was the appropriate place to find us -- there's no prohibition from the individual doing anything else, but we're handling it. Our Title IX office is handling it very very well," said Dooley.

An email from URI’s spokeswoman Linda Acciardo said that the complainant was offered URI police or the Title 9 office, “The complainant was provided an opportunity to report the incident to the URI Police Department, and chose to pursue the matter through the University's Title IX coordinator's office. Complainants decide if, how, and when they will report.”

Nagle then asked Dooley if an investigation by an outside independent agency would be more credible.

“We have a very good very experienced investigator who's very thorough and very objective and he's handling it -- he handles all of our Title IX investigations on the campus," said Dooley. 

 

Alcohol Was Served and Paid for by Mattiello and Shekarchi

URI has confirmed that alcohol was served at the event and the Speaker Nick Mattiello and Majority Leader Joe Shekarchi have made payment for the alcohol served. “Total cost of the reception and dinner was $1,240. The total amount was reimbursed by the Speaker and the Majority Leader from their campaign accounts," said Acciardo.

 

University Refuses to Release Names of Attendees

Specifically, after GoLocal first broke the story, it requested a list of those invited to the event, as well as those who attended.

The party hosted by Dooley was held in a state-building and used state staff to coordinate the party.

The University claims that to release the list of attendees would constitute a violation of privacy.

“Your request directly involves personal individually identifiable records the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy and therefore exempt from disclosure pursuant to RIGL 38-2-2(4)(A)(I)(b),” said Louis J. Saccoccio, General Counsel at URI.

The letter from URI to GoLocal did not identify whose privacy would be invaded. A follow-up email to Saccoccio was not responded to at the time of publication.

Saccoccio also asserts in his response to GoLocal’s records request, “In addition, the requested records are part of an ongoing investigation of a public body pertaining to possible violations of statute, rule or regulation and are also exempt from disclosure pursuant to RIGL 38-2-2(P).  Your request for records must therefore be denied for the reasons stated.”

GoLocal did not request the name of the alleged victim or the alleged perpetrator.

URI came under fire for its handling of another sexual incident at the University.