Dear AU Community,

With the spring semester concluding and the excitement of commencement about to begin, we often use this period to assess our work. Key among our most important priorities is the safety of the AU community and our daily efforts to support the well-being of our students, faculty, and staff. We have faced moments this year when understandable safety concerns arose. In a time when safety is a heightened topic for all of us and violent incidents are unfortunately occurring in communities and on college campuses around the country, we are focused on the security of the entire AU community. As part of our continuing work, we want to update you on the Kerwin Hall and Leonard Hall investigations that have been ongoing priorities for us.

After a thorough investigation and the enhanced AUPD presence on campus to ensure safety through finals and commencement, the Kerwin Hall investigation is now closed. There have been no further sightings of the individual observed in Kerwin Hall on April 27. While the individual’s behavior was unusual, there was no evidence of a crime, and all information from our investigation indicates he had no intention to cause harm. The support of the community, the professionalism and dedication of our AUPD officers, and the leadership of Phil Morse helped us address the immediate situation and maintain a safe environment for students, staff, and faculty. Should the individual appear on campus again, we are prepared to address the situation and safeguard the community.

The Leonard Hall investigation remains ongoing. While there have been no substantive recent developments to share, we continue to work with law enforcement on key investigatory steps. Our partners in the DC Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) are pursuing forensic analysis of evidence collected during the initial investigation, which is critical to the next steps in the process. Currently, forensic analysis can take six months or more to complete. We understand that this process can be frustrating. Given the active status of the investigation, we still cannot release all the information collected to date. Importantly, the investigation remains in progress and we are prepared to move forward pending the results of the forensic analysis. We continued to support the survivors throughout the year. As soon as there is any new information to share, we will provide another update.

While the Kerwin and Leonard matters caused concern, each has been met with the full array of resources and expertise needed to support our community. Investigations can often take extended periods for a variety of reasons and can reach conclusions that are not as simple as we all may like. But the work done within them is dedicated to supporting the community and those directly involved and providing a safe campus environment.

Thank you again for your support throughout this year. Best wishes for an enjoyable summer.

Sincerely,  

Bronté Burleigh-Jones
Chief Financial Officer, Vice President, and Treasurer