New campus sexual assault laws go into effect in Virginia

By Ashe Schow, Ashe Schow

Published December 20, 2015

Three new laws aimed to curb campus sexual assault in Virginia went into effect on July 1.

Two of the laws deal with reporting requirements for colleges and police departments. The other law, regarding transcript notations, has created some confusion.

Local station WHSV reported that, under the new law, "Any student under investigation for an offense involving sexual violence will have a special notation on their transcript."

This is not what the law says, however. The law actually states that schools must "include a prominent notation on the academic transcript of each student who has been suspended for, has been permanently dismissed for, or withdraws from the institution while under investigation for an offense involving sexual violence under the institution's code, rules or set of standards governing student conduct..."