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Salt Lake Community College
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News
Accused Rapist Hits Close to Home
By Christie Paye
Published:
Tuesday, March 2, 2004
Media Credit: www.desnews.com
Roger Alan Wilkins
A former Salt Lake Community College adjunct instructor has been accused of sexually assaulting one of his students.
Roger Alan Wilkins, 36, was arrested at his Lehi home last Tuesday, February 24, 2004, according to the Deseret Morning News. He is facing charges for rape, forcible sodomy and two counts of forcible sexual abuse of a former 18-year-old female student. Police allege Wilkins took advantage of his position of trust.
Wilkins taught American Sign Language at both Salt Lake Community College and Utah Valley State College on a part-time basis.
The alleged incidents occurred on January 5 and 9 but neither were reported to officials until January 14 by the former student herself, according to the Deseret Morning News. Lehi Police Sgt. Jeff Swensen told the Deseret Morning News, Wilkins allegedly developed a relationship with the student last fall on the Redwood campus of Salt Lake Community College.
The two began communicating through e-mail and a phone for the hearing impaired, since both the alleged victim and Wilkins are hearing impaired. According to ABC4 News, in December the former student moved in with Wilkins and his wife. The charges stem from two occurrences in January.
This is not the first time Wilkins has been accused of a sex-related crime. Wilkins is listed on the Utah Sex Offender Registry in connection with a charge of lewdness involving a child in 1993.
Joy Tlou, Director of Public Relations for Salt Lake Community College told The Globe, Wilkins was dismissed from the college on January 26, and was not a current adjunct instructor here when he was arrested.
The Deseret Morning News reports the reason for Wilkins' dismissal was because he falsified his employment application for Salt Lake Community College.
Though SLCC does not currently have a process for conducting background checks on its employees, Tlou said, "We are and have been in the process, not because of this incident, of creating a formal system of background checks."
The administration at SLCC hopes to gain better knowledge about safety from this experience.
"At Salt Lake Community College we are trying to provide the best quality of education for the students here. When something negative like this happens it unfortunately impacts the college." said Trenton Kemp, Student Body President for SLCC.
Business Vice President for SLCC, Don Porter said, "I hope somehow we can come up with a policy to help the college, community and especially the students have a feeling of being safe."
