In regards to the Jane Doe sexual assault lawsuit, UNA officials issued a second statement August 12 after receiving backlash.

The first statement angered many students and community members. People took to social media to voice their opinions. One woman said on social media statement was “snarky and insensitive,” and that the person who wrote it “should be fired.”

The first statement said accusations about the alleged rape of a student by former professor David Dickerson were “meritless claims” and “unfounded accusations.”

The new statement said UNA is “committed to providing a safe and nurturing learning environment for all students.”

When the lawsuit was filed against UNA last week, the university reached out to Jane Doe and conducted an investigation, according to the second statement.

“The university concluded that the faculty member had violated university policy regarding faculty/student relationships,” according to the second statement. “As a result, the faculty member was removed from the classroom.”

The university defended its honor in the second statement. University officials said the accusations could not be further from the truth.

An executive session was held by the UNA Board of Trustees August 14 to discuss legal proceedings. The board did not make any official decisions.

Stick with The Flor-Ala to receive updates about this lawsuit.