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GVSU and Ottawa County Sheriff's Department addressing sexual assaults

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The president of Grand Valley State University says he feels "devastated" by four sexual assaults near campus and calls the recent series of attacks a "cancer."

Grand Valley State University and the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department continue efforts to apprehend the perpetrator responsible for a string of off-campus assaults. The fourth assault of a female Grand Valley student was reported Tuesday night outside off-campus apartments. The first occurred on Aug. 26.

“I’m devastated, actually, with these reports of sexual assaults, sexual abuse, to our students.” Grand Valley State University President Thomas Haas conducted a public safety forum Thursday on the Allendale campus. More than 100 people attended including students, faculty and police.

“What we’re doing is working with Ottawa County, the Sheriff’s Department, they’re beefing up patrols with our neighbors across the way. We’re looking internally. We’re going to bring more people on board, especially this weekend, maybe the weeks ahead to help our own police force as well. We’re going to continue to partner with our neighbors.”

Haas is calling on off-campus property owners to increase security measures. He points out that it is everyone’s responsibility to keep students safe wherever they are.

Patrick Center, WGVU News.

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.
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