When a college or university opens student conduct hearings against a student, documents from those hearings are treated as education records, he said, meaning they can't be disclosed to the general public.
However, that restriction wouldn't prevent university officials from asking campus police to begin their own investigation into the allegations.
Stillwater police opened an investigation into the alleged incidents Friday, the day after a reporter from the campus newspaper contacted the department with questions about the incidents, Dickerson said.
That investigation began about 3 ½ weeks after OSU officials became aware of the incident.
According to OSU's website, Cochran was active in the university's Interfraternity Council, having served as secretary of the council. He also served as a student director for Gundyville, a program that allows OSU students to camp near Boone Pickens Stadium before home football games.
He did not return a phone message for comment.
Dickerson said Tuesday the department had interviewed about five alleged victims in connection with the department's investigation. Although some of the alleged victims were fraternity members, he said, many others had no connection to the organization.
Police think the alleged assaults may have taken place in at least three jurisdictions: Tahlequah, Stillwater and on campus at OSU.
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