After pressure from student activists, the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs revised the University's procedures for handling instances of sexual assault in the spring of 2005.

Full documentation explaining the current procedures can be found at http://www.virginia.edu/vpsa/assaultprocedure.html.

A UVa press release from March 17, 2005 outlined some of the important revisions:

• Changes aimed at increasing the speed and efficiency of cases moving through the system were made throughout the Formal Adjudication process.
• A separate offense of sexual misconduct was added to encourage more reporting of cases and to convey that sanctions may vary by severity and act.
• Language was revised with regard to confidentiality and disclosures permitted by federal law.
• The procedures express the expectation that in cases involving a conviction of Sexual Assault, the hearing panel will consider suspension or expulsion. Any sanction imposed will be explained or supported in the written decision of the panel.