Because university campuses are microcosms of broader political and social climates, the increasingly polarized climates outside universities can permeate the classroom, challenging faculty who teach topics characterized by controversy and discomfort. We conducted a lesson study project at a college in the southeastern United States in three…

Harassment and Sexual Assault are both offenses and crimes that can be classified as domestic violence as well. The responses within a university to allegations of domestic violence are different from investigations by sworn law enforcement. There is an obligation to investigate and charge by law enforcement when certain incidents of domestic…

Title IX prohibits sex discrimination--including sexual assault--in higher education. The Department of Education Office for Civil Rights' 2011 "Dear Colleague Letter" outlines recommendations for campus sexual assault adjudication allowing a variety of procedures that fail to protect accused students' due process rights and victims'…

Recently, the federal government and colleges have sought new remedies to combat campus sexual assault (CSA). Additionally, there have been calls for shifts in college culture. For this reason, an understanding of attitudes about these policies and reforms is needed. To that end, the study examines three questions. First, to what extent does the…

One in five women are sexually assaulted while in college (Cantor et al., 2015; Ali, 2011). Research has demonstrated that higher education is a patriarchal environment that is oppressive to women in a number of spheres (Acker, 1990; Burnett et al., 2009; Catalano, 2014; Miriam, 2007; Walby, 1989). Past research on sexual assault and patriarchy…

Sexual assault on college campuses has become an epidemic requiring institutions to respond. Through Title IX, all educational institutions receiving federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education must have a Title IX coordinator and must respond to allegations of sexual assault. Little specific guidance for how to…

In 2011 the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights released additional guidance to colleges and universities on how they should handle campus sexual harassment and assault. Since that time institutions of higher education have been under significant pressure to improve their processes. This qualitative study adds to this…

Sexual assault is a pervasive problem on university and college campuses. Although not a new problem, media and political attention has placed renewed pressure on institutions of higher education to prevent and respond to campus sexual assault. To be effective, policies and procedures need to fit with the contextual and administrative realities 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…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The theme of this issue is "Purposeful Governance." Contents include: (1) New IDRA CEO Carries on IDRA's…

The present qualitative narrative inquiry explored Black women's experiences with sexual assault in higher education, focusing specifically on where they found support and their perceptions of campus and community connectedness. The theoretical frameworks used in this study include Black feminist theory, campus connectedness, and community…

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…

Recently, sexual assault on college campuses has received increased national attention. In its first report, the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault highlighted steps colleges and universities can take to curb the number of sexual assaults on campuses. For the first time, the U.S. Department of Education has released the…

The author serves as the chair of the American Association of University Professors' (AAUP) Assembly of State Conferences, the umbrella organization for individual state AAUP conferences; a moderator for Pandora's Project, a website for survivors of sexual abuse and assault; a volunteer for Veronica's Voice, a support program for women and girls…