Update at 2:40 p.m. on Oct. 24: Dan Fabian, associate dean of Richmond College and former deputy Title IX coordinator, has returned to work after nearly two months of absence, Richmond College administrative assistant Cassie Vestal said today.
Fabian was in a meeting when The Collegian visited the Richmond College Dean's Office around 2 p.m.. He is expected to be finished with the meeting around 3 p.m., Vestal said. The Collegian will update this story when additional information is obtained.
Fabian was not expected to return to work until at least next Tuesday, Oct. 25, Vestal said last week.
Original story: Dan Fabian, associate dean of Richmond College and former deputy Title IX coordinator, is not expected to return to work until at least next Tuesday, Oct. 25, Richmond College administrative assistant Cassie Vestal said.
Fabian has been out of the office since at least Sept. 1. The reason for his absence, as well as his expected return date, have changed multiple times. Although Vestal said she was not aware of the current reason for his absence, administrators have said he was recovering from surgery and his out-of-office email said he attended a conference from Sept. 19–22.
Fabian's duties as deputy Title IX coordinator ceased after President Ronald Crutcher emailed the university community announcing extensive changes to sexual assault policy, one of which was the removal of all Title IX processes from the coordinate college system, Title IX Coordinator Maura Smith said. Smith is handling the Title IX duties of Fabian and Kerry Fankhauser, the other former deputy Title IX coordinator, until a Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Students — a new position Crutcher introduced in his email — is announced, Smith said.
Cynthia Price, director of media and public relations, did not provide an expected return date or a reason for Fabian's absence. Attempts to get further information from the President's Office and Dr. Steve Bisese, vice president for student development, were unsuccessful.
Richmond College Dean Joe Boehman said in late September that he had met with Fabian in his office, but would not reveal what the meeting was about, The Collegian reported.
Fabian came under fire from many community members after Cecilia Carreras published an account of her Title IX case and quoted Fabian as making comments that many people in the community found insensitive and offensive regarding her alleged rape. Carreras asserted that while sitting in Fabian's office, he told her, "I thought it was reasonable for [the accused] to penetrate you for a few more minutes if he was going to finish."
Spiders Against Sexual Assault sat in Richmond College to protest his expected return on Sept. 26, but he did not come back to work on that day. The general feeling on campus is that trust in Fabian has been lost, RCSGA Senator Evan McKay told The Collegian days after the protest.
The Collegian reported in September that Fabian had been married to Fankhauser since January, although neither discussed the relationship when asked about it by The Collegian in August. The marriage has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter
This story will be updated when more information becomes available. To submit an anonymous tip, click here.
Contact editor-in-chief Charlie Broaddus at charlie.broaddus@richmond.edu
Support independent student media
You can make a tax-deductible donation by clicking the button below, which takes you to our secure PayPal account. The page is set up to receive contributions in whatever amount you designate. We look forward to using the money we raise to further our mission of providing honest and accurate information to students, faculty, staff, alumni and others in the general public.
Donate Now
