Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced last week her administration will rewrite policies on campus sexual misconduct in an effort to protect both victims and the accused.
DeVos made clear she believes procedures set forth by the previous administration have sometimes deprived accused students of due process.
Though she did not give details on proposed changes, the National Women’s Law Center has called DeVos’s plan “a blunt attack on survivors of sexual assault.”
This week on Noon Edition, our panel discussed what changes to Title IX guidelines could mean for students and college campuses.
Indiana University's Title IX Director and Deputy Coordinators declined invitation to participate and gave us this statement:
IU statement on Department of Education's Title IX announcement
As originally conveyed through its Student Welfare Statement , Indiana University has been -- and will continue to remain -- fully committed to addressing sexual violence within our communities. First and foremost, we will continue in our work aimed at preventing sexual violence through education, public awareness campaigns and training initiatives for all members of our community. We will also continue to partner with our students, faculty and staff, university-based experts and practitioners, nationwide experts and our campus communities, to assess, increase and refine these efforts. And we will further our efforts to build a robust culture that rejects sexual misconduct and allows students to pursue their education with the utmost confidence in their personal safety.
Just as importantly, we will continue to respond to all reports of possible sexual misconduct by offering and providing support and resources to those who need it, by objectively and thoroughly investigating reports, and by conducting any related proceedings in a manner that assures due process, as well as fairness and dignity to all participants. All of our prevention and response efforts will continue at the same level of focus, vigor and intensity.
In light of the Sept. 7 announcement by the Department of Education, we will continue to monitor DOE’s actions and communications, and assess our existing policies and procedures to ensure our continued compliance with applicable laws and regulations. We also expect to participate in the formal rulemaking process to assure protection for victims and fairness to all.
Guests:
Mahri Irvine: Director of Campus Initiatives, Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault
Amelia Lahn: Attorney at Lahn Law, LLC, Bloomington