A man convicted of multiple sexual assaults involving college-aged women will no longer be attending classes at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, according to a campus-wide e-mail sent to students on Feb. 5.

Eugene Nelson, 42, was convicted of four sexual assaults in the early 1980s, including a first degree sexual assault with a gun. He enrolled in classes for the spring semester and had been attending courses in Mitchell, Lubar and Bolton Halls, according to a Journal Sentinel report. The assaults occurred in La Crosse.

On Feb. 1, almost two weeks after the start of the spring semester, UWM students received the first e-mail that informing them of the initial enrollment of Nelson. The e-mail, sent from UWM Police Chief Pam Hodermann, also explained that a police officer would be visiting the classes Nelson was enrolled in to inform students of his history, and to answer any questions and concerns they may have.

According to UWM detective Martin Cavan, Nelson was to go straight to and from class, and could not enter the Library, Union or Klotsche Center. He was also to be escorted off-campus by 3:30 p.m.

Cavan stated that the delayed reaction was a result of late notification, and that the administration needed more time to make a decision on how to best handle the situation.

“We have never had an offender like this on campus before. It was pretty unexpected,” said Cavan.

A link in the e-mail directed students to the official Sex Offender Notification report on Nelson.

UWM Assistant Police Chief Michael Marzion added, “We were notified pretty late that he was even attending school; only a few days before classes started. We wanted to ensure our protection of our students but at the same time respect his right to pursue his education.”

Disclosure of Nelson’s status was intended to be limited, but the Journal Sentinel article escalated the situation, according to Cavan.

“We were trying to get access to the class reflectors when this thing blew up,” said Cavan.

When a special bulletin sex offender comes out, it’s the city’s chief of police that has the authority to decide who has to know. “It wasn’t about his protection,” Marizon said. “Since Nelson didn’t move into the UWM campus and was only attending classes here, we weren’t given the 30-day notice that happens in cases like these.”

Professors were told to notify UWM police if Nelson had any contact with female students, or was absent from class. Nelson was released from prison in August of 2007, 22 years after his conviction. He was initially sentenced to 56 years in prison, but received a sentence modification for good behavior.

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