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Published Aug 11, 2014
Shannon facing one-year suspension at University of Oklahoma
RJ Young
SoonerScoop.com Staff Writer
Oklahoma President David Boren announced the university has decided to suspend Sooner linebacker Frank Shannon for one year for his involvement in a breach of Title IX policy.
The Title IX panel's findings were done on June 18, and Shannon is appealing the panel's findings in court.
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Shannon was involved in an alleged sexual assault in January. The Cleveland County District Attorney's office decided not to pursue charges.
The woman involved in the alleged sexual assault alleged Shannon attempted to have intercourse with her at her apartment in a Title IX misconduct allegation report.
Every college or university has an obligation to investigate alleged sexual assault cases on its campus involving students, even if no criminal charges are filed. On Monday afternoon Boren announced the panel's investigation's findings. His complete statement is below:
"The University of Oklahoma has been asked repeatedly by the media about the outcome of the internal disciplinary proceedings relating to Frank Shannon," Boren said. "As permitted by Federal privacy laws in matters such as these, the University is allowed to disclose its institutional processes and its final decisions. This process includes the Title IX Office inquiry, a hearing panel comprised of faculty and staff, and an appeal to the chief student affairs officer. This process was completed on June 18th. The final decision of the internal disciplinary process was suspension of the student for one year. Federal privacy law and other legal considerations prohibit me from discussing the case further.
"The University is unable to enforce its process at this time. The University has and is taking every legal step possible to move this process forward. The University is currently seeking to enforce its decision so that it may be in compliance with federal law requiring responses by institutions to such matters in a timely manner. With the fall semester beginning August 18, time is of the essence."
Shannon was OU's leading tackler in 2013, accounting for 92 stops at middle linebacker.