The prevalence of sexual assault on collage campuses is a well-known issue among Americans, as horrifying stories regarding the matter continue to dominate news headlines. Stories revealing a college’s sexual harassment secrets or describing how students don’t trust their school’s sexual assault policies portray the immediate need for reform.

Some may argue that sexual assault continues to run rampant throughout campuses because of false allegations that cause setbacks towards improvement and reduce victim’s credibility. While this argument does contribute a role in the dilemma, the fact that information regarding a student’s suspension or expulsion for sexual assault is not required to be listed on college transcripts proves to play a more significant role.

The lack of a federal law requiring schools to note such offenses on student’s transcripts or question students for committing sexual assault easily allows a rapist to transfer from one college to another. Not only does this mean colleges are unknowingly inviting a rapist into their campus, but also putting innocent students at risk.

While the absence of a federal law allows colleges to claim that they had no way of knowing the student’s past, one might find the lack of morals being exemplified troublesome. Why not take matters into one’s own hands and require background searches for each student? Colleges could easily add that stipulation to their application and transfer process. Not only would this allow them to prevent rapists from entering their campuses, but also other students who may be hiding a criminal background.

However, some reason that the notation of such an offense would significantly hinder the guilty student’s ability to obtain a college education; however, one doesn’t find many complaining that grown adults guilty of committing sexual assault have a difficult time in obtaining a job or fitting into everyday life. In fact, no one seems to oppose regulations in the community that help prevent attacks, much like Megan’s Law.

After seven-year-old Megan Kanka was raped and murdered by her neighbor Jesse Timmendequas, who was a convicted sex offender, Megan’s Law was implemented. Law enforcement authorities in the United States are required to inform the public about registered sex offenders, which could consist of providing the offender’s name, photo, address, incarceration date, and nature of crime. By notifying the public of the dangerous men or women, law enforcement authorities take a step towards protecting their community members from unnecessary, tragic assaults.

Just as Megan’s Law requires the public to be notified of registered sex offenders, a simple note on a student’s transcript stating the suspension or expulsion for committing sexual assault would aid in making campuses safer. Additionally, school officials would be active in preventing rapists from entering the campus, assuming they would reject the student’s application or transfer who has a background associated with the offense.

If an adult and a college student commit the same offense, why should their significance and seriousness be weighed differently? Both parties are mature enough to decide to commit the crime, thus making them fully capable of facing the consequences.

Students suspended or expelled from college for sexual assault deserve to have a permanent note on their transcript, and colleges should be in favor of such a concept. With the realization that committing sexual assault not only results in an everlasting shadow over the victim, but also themselves, students would be deterred from engaging in the crime.

Unless colleges begin to take major leaps in sexual assault reform, students will continue to feel invincible as they commit the crime. Something as simple as noting the suspension or expulsion for such an offense would significantly reduce the amount of cases on college campuses. It’s time for college officials to step up to the plate and stop waiting for a federal law to be imposed. If they decide to take matters into their own hands, the wellbeing of students on college campuses would undoubtedly improve.