MOSCOW - University of Idaho student leaders have officially asked University of Idaho Athletic Director Rob Spear to resign.
The 10-5 vote came down Wednesday night after it came to light that the long-time athletic director mishandled a sexual assault complaint in 2013.
The Argonaut, University of Idaho's student newspaper, broadcast the meeting on Facebook.
University of Idaho President Chuck Staben put Spear on administrative leave for 60 days on Tuesday, pending an investigation. On campus Wednesday night, the Associated Students of University of Idaho (ASUI), the university's student body government, heard feedback from students and Spear himself.
Fifteen ASUI senators will be voting on a resolution that asks for immediate action. The document lists several things students are asking for, outlines how they feel Spear and the athletic department mishandled sexual harassment reports and violated Title IX policy.
After polling student leaders Wednesday, KTVB learned there are a lot of mixed views across campus as to what should be done. This all stems from a 2013 incident in which two female athletes reported sexual assault and misconduct by former Vandal football player, Jahrie Level. Records show Level was let go from the team, but the victims claim Spear didn't let the universities dean of students know about their complaints, which is a Title IX violation.
Although on leave, Spear had the opportunity to speak and answer questions at the open forum Wednesday night. He said he took the proper steps. At the time the policy was unclear and changing, and they weren't trained properly, but they are trained now.
"In 2012-13, it was real personal to me back then because, I'll tell you what, my daughter was a student on this campus and she worked on this campus," Spear told the student leaders. "So if you think I would tolerate any behavior then or now or ever, it wouldn't happen. Not gonna tolerate that behavior."
In light of recent information, some ASUI members we spoke to want to change the negative culture surrounding sexual harassment reporting on campus. ASUI Vice President Catherine Yenne told KTVB before the meeting that she wants to see the university take action and make changes across the board.
"We're hoping that this sends a strong message that we're not satisfied with the action that's been taken," Yenne said. "A formal apology from Spear and the athletics department and all these other things that made the survivors' life a lot more challenging, the fact that those weren't addressed until they started getting media attention really I think calls into question how the athletics department is treating issues around sexual assault. Are they actually taking it seriously or only when the media gets ahold of information?"
On Tuesday, UI President Staben addressed some of the actions students would like to see taken. The resolution needed eight votes to pass in the student body senate