Mandatory reporting (MR) policies have been implemented at universities and colleges across the US. While described as a tool to combat campus sexual assault, there is great concern about MR policies which require responsible employees to report to a university official and its adverse effects on victim-survivors. Using a survey of the general…

As colleges seek to respond to campus sexual assault, administrators are making policies, programs, and resources related to sexual violence available to students and members of the school community online. Keeping this content current and accessible can be challenging in the context of rapidly changing information and competing priorities across…

This hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions examines reauthorizing the Higher Education Act, focusing on addressing campus sexual assault and ensuring student safety and rights. Opening statements were presented by: (1) Honorable Lamar Alexander, Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; and (2)…

The 2017-18 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) is a survey of nearly all public schools and school districts in the United States. The CRDC has long provided important information used by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights in its enforcement and monitoring activities. As a collection, the CRDC is an aggregate of…

Campus sexual assault is a significant problem in the United States, affecting a large proportion of college students, most of whom are women. Recognizing the widespread nature of campus sexual assault and its negative impacts on students' education, the Dept. of Education under the Obama Administration took action. In a 2011 directive known as…

On April 4, 2011, the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) reminding higher education institutions (HEIs) of their obligations under Title IX to respond to complaints of sexual misconduct. The 2011 DCL was meant to be a guidance document to assist HEIs in complying with Title IX, but…

Over the last decade, sexual violence in higher education has been a focus for colleges and universities, student activists, parents and families, and the media alike. As institutions responded to these complaints and students demanded action and accountability, it became clear there were too few resources available to address this issue.…

Sexual violence is a significant problem on college and university campuses in the United States affecting large percentages of students during their studies and later in life. To confront this alarming issue, the United States Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights issued new guidance under Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to…

Since April 2011, sexual assault and misconduct on college campuses has become one of the most pressing issues that leaders face in their efforts to maintain a safe campus community. A multiple case study approach explored how mid to senior-level campus leaders achieve Title IX compliance for the purpose of sexual assault prevention and response…

Seeking to improve university accountability and compliance with federal mandates, states are considering new reforms including mandating reporting of campus sexual assault allegations. These new policies remain an empirical "black box." To address these gaps, the current exploratory study draws upon a recent survey that examines the…

Approximately one in four women experience sexual violence in college. Public institutions of higher education identify professionals specifically responsible for Title IX compliance, campus grievance processes, and survivor advocacy. Success in these roles depends upon a variety of institutional, legal, and procedural factors, and the ability to…

This hearing is the 11th in a series of hearings to inform the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions about the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. The focus is on campus sexual assault--a topic of profound importance. Too many students are being assaulted on the Nation's college campuses. According to current research, an…

Victims and survivors of sexual violence are sometimes blamed for the assault because of irrelevant factors such as how much they had to drink or what they wore. Research has indicated that conservative religious beliefs increase the prevalence of victim blaming. In order to see if this pattern extended to college administrators, we used a…

Many higher education institutions are scrutinized by their campus community and the media for the way that they respond, or fail to respond, to allegations of sexual assault. Tack on the fact that nearly 100 colleges and universities are currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) for possible…

National Council on Disability's (NCD) study found that students with disabilities are not "on the radar" of colleges in their sexual assault prevention efforts, policies, or procedures for response and support after an assault. This includes the absence of procedures to communicate with victims who are Deaf or hard of hearing and…