Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The Big 12 Conference issued a statement today seeking disclosure of all information in Baylor’s possession regarding the sexual assault allegations and investigation regarding the University.
A few minutes ago, the Big 12 released a statement calling for a “full accounting” from Baylor of the circumstances surrounding the sexual assault allegations levied at our athletics program. This is apparently the second request from the Big 12 Board, the first having come on May 24. The statement, which is available on the Big 12’s website, reads, in pertinent part:
Today, Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby sent a letter to Baylor University Interim President David Garland once again requesting all documents associated with the investigations of sexual assaults at Baylor. This request is for written materials as well as any information that has been conveyed orally to University leadership or to its Board of Regents including, but not limited to, the unedited written or verbal information from Pepper Hamilton, omitting only the names of any involved students. Internal documents pertinent to the investigation have also been requested.
Because this statement just came down, we’ve yet to see any official response from Baylor to the Board’s requests. I would note that this request is coming through Bowlsby from the Big 12’s Board, so any statements you may have seen from Bowlsby prior about what the Big 12 can and cannot do with respect to Baylor may not reflect the Conference’s thinking at this time.
When/if Baylor responds to this request, we will do our best to keep you informed. I find it interesting that the Board specifically requested “internal documents pertinent to the investigation,” since that is all stuff that definitely has not been released to the public and that Baylor would definitely not want to release to the public. Baylor will probably be concerned about both the privacy of its students and the impact any release of internal documents could have on the various lawsuits in which Baylor is involved at this time (since that stuff could potentially be discoverable, if turned over to the Big 12). That’s a tricky line to walk, and I don’t envy Baylor’s attorneys right now trying to figure out how to do it.