Additionally, wherever applicable, any and all criminal action will also be pursued by the appropriate police agency. Both administrative and criminal charges are possible in sexual assault cases. In this event, an administrative hearing is likely to precede any criminal process. Since both proceedings are separate systems of justice, with very different sanctions, this dual process does not place the subject in double jeopardy. The University cannot intelligently address the issue of sexual assault on campus without also including the relationship of alcohol.
Sexual assault occurs most frequently when one, and commonly both, of the parties are drinking.
While alcohol is a common factor in most campus sexual assault cases, voluntary intoxication is NOT an excusable justification for inappropriate or illegal behavior. Sexual assault under the influence is still sexual assault. Individuals are responsible for their behavior under any and all circumstances. Further, UNC has a drug and alcohol policy that is applicable to all UNC students. Valuable evidence may be lost by showering, changing, cleaning up, or delaying reporting.