Brown forms task force, members plan for first meeting

In an email sent to students Wednesday, Boston University President Robert Brown announced the 16 members who comprise the special Task Force to review the culture of the men’s ice hockey program.

Brown stated the task force will work with experts throughout the spring and report its findings over the summer. The task force is expected to go over “recommendations” they can consider before the start of the next academic year.

The Office of the President website listed a number of BU affiliates who will join the task force, including BU Trustee Carla Meyer, College of Communication Professor Elizabeth Mehren, School of Public Health Professor Emily Rothman and SPH Professor William DeJong, among others.

The task force, which formed after two hockey players were charged with sexual assault, includes people with expertise regarding sexual assaults and student-athlete interactions, said Provost Jean Morrison, co-chairwoman of the task force.

DeJong said he approaches the assignment with a completely open mind.

“I’ve heard about the accusations made against the two students, and I have read Dr. Brown’s charge to the task force, but I know almost nothing about these two cases or the hockey team as a whole – except that they get into the Beanpot finals almost every year,” DeJong said.

Morrison said she and co-chairman Jonathan Cole, chairman of the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees, will designate a time for the first meeting with the entire task force within a few days.

Morrison said the task force will seek input from students, examine the climate surrounding the team and gather other information.

“We’ll also be gathering a lot of data around performance of our student-athletes, how they do academically and what their interactions are with our faculty,” she said.

Members said the report the task force will draw up for Brown in the summer is expected to include the conclusions and interpretations of the task force.

“A crucial part of this is that he has asked us for recommendations for action steps, what changes do we need to make in order to be sure that everyone at BU . . . is held to the same high standards,” Morrison said.

Although no students are on the task force, students will be able to give their direct input to members, Morrison said.

“Students are going to have a very significant voice in this process,” she said. “We’re also going to set up a website for the task force so when people want to know about the task force, there will be one website.”

Brown’s charge to the task force is to reach out to the entire university, including faculty, staff, students, student-athletes, alumni and even outside experts if necessary, according a letter posted on the president’s website Wednesday.

“The Boston University community expects that our student-athletes, as representatives of the University, will adhere to the same high standards to which we hold all members of our community and which reflect the mission and aspirations of our university,” Brown said in the charge.

Brown was unavailable for comment at press time.

Mehren said she felt honored to have been asked to join.

“I consider this task force an important responsibility,” she said in an email interview.

Rothman said she has worked with the Massachusetts State Department of Public Health on sexual violence prevention for six years. She was recommended for the task force by the dean of SPH and the Center for Gender, Sexuality and Activism.

“[CGSA] asked me if they could endorse me, and I was honored and welcome that,” Rothman said in a phone interview. “I have terrific hopes and expectations of what’s going to come out of this.”