Football recruits were paired with female "ambassadors" to show them around campus and "player-hosts" responsible for their entertainment. Some of the recruits who attended the party where the alleged assaults took place had been promised the chance to have sex, the ruling states.
The court said there was ample evidence that CU's recruitment process put women at risk for sexual assault. In 1997 a high-school student was assaulted by recruits at a party hosted by a CU football player. The local district attorney urged school officials to develop a policy for supervising recruits, but CU "did little to change its policies or training," the ruling states.
"Not only was the coaching staff informed of sexual harassment and assault by players, but it responded in ways that were more likely to encourage than eliminate such conduct," Judge Hartz wrote. Amicus curiae for the case include the American Civil Liberties Union, the NAACP and the Women's Law Project. See ruling.
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