A new semester involves adjusting to different schedules and professors, but for two UD students the semester presents another task: moving on.

An employee of the off-campus Fieldhouse bar has pled not guilty to charges of sexual assault against two male students, according to Dayton Municipal Court records. Timothy K. Bates, 27, was charged Jan. 3 with two counts of sexual battery in connection with a Dec. 30 report of the assaults.

Police officials could not be reached, and a Fieldhouse representative declined to comment.

While court proceedings are still in progress, the two students are facing other difficulties.

According to one of the students, who requested anonymity, the event has affected his trust in others.

'People here, you're supposed to trust them,' he said. 'It hurts when something (like this) happens.'

However, the student added he wasn't going to let one incident ruin his experience at UD and he had no hard feelings toward the Fieldhouse itself.

'I still love it here,' he said, noting the support he has had from roommates and the other student involved.

Nonetheless, the experience has taught him to be wary, and the student advised others to 'watch what they do, watch what they drink.'

It's advice echoed by UD Public Safety Director Bruce Burt. According to Burt, while drugs may not have been involved in the assaults, being aware of one's drinks is always encouraged. The UD force cooperated with Dayton police, although it was not directly involved in the investigation.

The incident appears to be one of few, according to the Campus Safety and Security Act 2005 report. Between 2002 and 2004, no off-campus sex offenses were reported. However, in the same years, five, 13 and 14 on-campus sex offenses were reported. The complete report may be accessed at http://www.udayton.edu/~safety/.