Student facing sexual assault and battery charges could be expelled
October 19, 2004
An NIU student could face possible expulsion from NIU if found guilty of sexual assault and battery charges, school officials said.
Trevor A. Zumwalt, 18, was charged with sexual assault after he was arrested in Grant Towers North Thursday. He was released from DeKalb County Jail Friday on $5,000 bond.
The first course of action from NIU’s standpoint would be administrative sanctioning until the hearing and trial are over, said Larry Bolles, director of the University Judicial Office. NIU would handle the case independently of the criminal court system, which could also sentence Zumwalt.
The accused would be banned from the residence hall in the most minor of situations and from NIU property in the most extreme situations, he said.
Zumwalt has been temporarily banned from his residence hall until his judicial hearing. He is only allowed on the premises under the supervision of a staff member to retrieve his belongings, said Michael Coakley, executive director of Student Housing and Dining Services.
If found guilty of the charges, Zumwalt would face a minimum of one to four years suspension from NIU. The maximum penalty would be permanent removal from the university.
“All persons found guilty of sexual assault would be subject to suspension from the university and banning from all university property,” Bolles said.