Liberalism means never having to say you're sorry.
Academic Freedom means never having to admit you're wrong.
The Gang of Eighty Eight undoubtedly controls (or is reflected in) the University Faculty Senate, and in their world-view the Duke Lacrosse team is/was/always will be guilty of something far more serious than rape: having the white skin privilege. The accusation against them was not false in its essentials, merely in a specific and trivial detail. The details are of no importance. The truly significant crime of being white and wealthy remains.
Like the faculty at all elite campuses the Duke Faculty consists of children who have no reason to ever grow up. Rest assured there will be no penalty levied against the University by its Alumni or any of its sources of funding. More mischief is guaranteed; if not at Duke, then at some other place differing only in location and name...
Strictly speaking, the Lacrosse team is guilty of something more serious, in the professoriat's eyes: being successfully male.