St. FX university tries to reassure students following lawsuit

St. Francis Xavier University is trying to reassure students in the wake of a lawsuit filed against the Antigonish, N.S., institution by a former student.

The woman behind the lawsuit is one of four people who accuse a former St. FX football player, Teddy Jegede, of sexual assault. The woman, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, accuses the university of failing to protect her and other students.

"We want to assure the campus community that our policies and procedures related to sexual violence are survivor-centred and trauma-informed," said a statement issued by the university Wednesday night. 

But the woman disputes that. In a statement she issued after her lawsuit was filed, she wrote that multiple students were sexually harassed and assaulted, something that was enabled by the university's "failure to take a survivor-centred and trauma-informed approach to sexual violence." 

Lawsuit allegations

The lawsuit itself questions the university's approach. In it, the woman said she met with officials on March 14 of this year and demanded that Jegede be removed from campus. He had been kicked out of his university residence, but, according to the lawsuit, St. FX would not take the extra step of banning him altogether.

"St. FX's position was that, due to Jegede's contract for housing and a meal plan, and procedural fairness they would not immediately ban him from campus," the lawsuit reads. "Additionally, St. FX dissuaded the survivors from pursuing criminal charges until its investigation was conducted."

RCMP charged Jegede with four counts of sexual assault in April. None of the criminal or civil allegations have yet been tested in court.

Four women have accused Jegede of sexual assault, although the lawsuit identifies a fifth woman who — the suit alleges — was also assaulted, but she has not filed a criminal complaint against him. The criminal charges return to court next month.

Amanda Cockshutt, acting president and vice-chancellor of the university, said in Wednesday's statement that St. FX has drawn up a comprehensive policy on sexual assault with the help of a sexual violence prevention committee.

"St. FX does not tolerate sexual violence and we remain committed to the safety of our students, faculty and staff," Cockshutt said. 

The woman who filed the lawsuit has withdrawn from St. FX and is completing her education elsewhere. She said her decision ends a family tradition of attending the university that goes back at least three generations.