Lisa Simpson – University of Colorado (CU)

In December, 2001 Lisa Simpson and a few other female friends were drinking at her off-campus apartment and became intoxicated. One of the women at the apartment, who was a tutor for CU’s football team, mentioned that a few of her friends from the team would be stopping by. Ultimately, approximately 16-20 football players and recruits, many of whom were intoxicated, arrived at Simpson’s apartment. A little while after the group arrived, she went to her bedroom and fell asleep, but awoke a short time later to find two recruits removing her clothing. She alleges that she was sexually assaulted by numerous recruits and football players, and observed that another female student was being sexually assaulted by at least one football player in the same room.

Early the next morning, Simpson’s roommate took her to a community hospital, where she reported the sexual assaults to hospital staff. She declined a rape kit examination at that time, but received one two days later. Simpson’s roommate also reported the events to CU’s Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and the director of the university’s Office of Victim’s Assistance the day after the events took place. Following an investigation, CU’s Office of Judicial Affairs charged several of the involved football players with code of conduct violations, but declined to pursue sexual assault charges against the students involved. None of the CU football players lost his eligibility to play in any subsequent football games.

The county’s district attorney’s office pressed felony charges against several of the football players and imposed a “no contact order” against two of them, prohibiting any contact with Simpson. She claims that despite this, CU’s head football coach continued to recruit another one of her alleged assailants.

According to Simpson, a former high school honor student, her academics severely declined after the experience. Not only did her grades fall, but she also dropped several classes and reduced her class hours significantly and in February 2004, she left CU without obtaining her degree.

Simpson claims CU has known about sexual assaults, alcohol abuse, and other illicit activities that occur during school-sponsored campus visits by football recruits since at least the Fall of 1995. To support this allegation, she notes that over the course of the past several years, numerous young women have reported to CU officials that they were sexually assaulted by football players and recruits during these visits. Simpson states that despite knowing about these activities, and against the advice of the county’s district attorney’s office, CU has failed to correct the sexually hostile environment.

Simpson filed a complaint in federal court in December 2002. In March 2005, a federal district court granted the University of Colorado’s motion for summary judgment with prejudice, dismissing Simpson's case in its entirety and ordering her to pay the university's costs. Simpson is currently appealing the decision.