Ohio State Army ROTC Lt. Colonel Michael Kelvington, as pictured on the university’s Army ROTC website. Credit: Courtesy of The Ohio State University
A leader in Ohio State’s Army ROTC has recently been reassigned off campus as part of an ongoing Title IX investigation.
Lt. Colonel Michael Kelvington, also the university’s professor of military science and leadership, violated a “stay away order” in February and March, respectively, and has since been reassigned off campus, according to a police report provided under an open records request. University spokesperson Chris Booker declined to comment on what exactly Kelvington has been ordered to “stay away” from or what prompted the initial Title IX violation.
Kelvington had “continually violated a no contact order” — also referred to as a “stay away order” — and was “only allowed in campus area for approved appointments,” a Feb. 23 Ohio State Police Department report states. An additional police report from March 26 states Kelvington had once again violated the order.
“Ohio State has no tolerance for sexual misconduct or harassment of any kind. When misconduct is alleged, we respond quickly to offer support services where needed and investigate the allegations and hold individuals responsible when warranted,” Booker said in a statement. “We have taken steps within ROTC to create a safe and healthy environment and support any cadets in need of services. Lt. Col. Kelvington has been reassigned off campus pending an ongoing investigation. Federal Title IX regulations prevent us from commenting further about an ongoing investigation.”
Kelvington declined to comment on any alleged violations to “respect the process.”
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal statute that prohibits sex-based discrimination, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s website. Sexual assault, other forms of sexual violence and treatment of LGBTQI+ students are, among several others, “key issue areas” encompassed by Title IX, according to the website.
On March 27, The Lantern submitted a public records request to the university pursuant to Ohio Open Records Law, §149.43 et seq. regarding the investigation into Kelvington.
On May 29, the university sent the two aforementioned police reports as part of the request, but stated that “copies of any complaints concerning [Kelvington’s] conduct” and “any internal investigation materials” were “exempt from disclosure pursuant to Ohio Revised Code 149.43(A)(1)(h) and 149.43(A)(2).”
According to Ohio’s Official Online Publication of State Laws and Regulations, such cited provisions of the Ohio Revised Code indicate that “confidential law enforcement investigatory records” are not considered “public records” available for inspection and copying so long as their release would “create a high probability of disclosure” of a suspect’s identity, a confidential source’s identity, confidential investigatory procedures and/or information that could endanger law enforcement personnel or other involved parties.
The Lantern will continue following this ongoing investigation and report information as it is obtained.
This story was updated Thursday, June 6 at 9:36 a.m. to highlight that the details of the issued “stay away” order are unknown at this time.
This story was updated Thursday, June 6 at 2:53 p.m. to better clarify Kelvington’s position as a professor of military science and leadership.
