Dear Colleague Letter

The now famous Dear Colleague Letter issued by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights on April 4, 2011 is a great starting point for information on higher education institutions’ obligation to prohibit sexual harassment and sexual violence under Title IX.  A Q&A Guide is also available about the Dear Colleague Letter.

For different downloading options of the letter, click here.

 

Students Active for Ending Rape (SAFER)

Started by Columbia University students in 2000, Students Active for Ending Rape (SAFER) is the only organization that fights sexual violence and rape culture by empowering student-led campaigns to reform college sexual assault policies. Run by a volunteer collective, SAFER facilitates student organizing through a comprehensive training manual; in-person workshops and trainings; free follow-up; our Campus Sexual Assault Policies Database; and a growing online resource library and network for student organizers. SAFER firmly believes that sexual violence is both influenced by and contributes to multiple forms of oppression, including racism, sexism, and homo/transphobia, and view our anti-sexual violence work through a broader anti-oppression lens.

For more resources by SAFER:

Moving Beyond Blue Lights and Buddy Systems: A National Study of Student Anti-Rape Activists

Title IX and Sexual Assault: Know Your Rights and Your College’s Responsibilities

Beyond Title IX: Guidelines for Preventing and Responding to Gender-Based Violence in Higher Education

Created by Futures Without Violence with the help of the AVON Foundation for Women, this guide is intended for “teams of campus stakeholders working to develop an integrated and consistent approach to the issue of gender-based violence for their institution. It promoted a focused and coherent system of supports to create a climate that encourages respectful non-violent relationships and addresses all forms of gender-based violence”.

Click here to read through the guide.

 

Title IX Conflicts: The Role of Law Enforcement

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In Volume 7, Issue 3 of the SAFVIC On the Scene Newsletter Gary J. Margolis & Steven J. Healy write about the role of law enforcement and Title IX. In this article, Margolis and Healy clarify what the responsibilities of campus and/or local law enforcement in helping schools comply with federal law. They further elaborate the role of law enforcement in compliance with Title IX.

Click here
to read the article.

Title IX and Mandatory Reporting: Interpreting “Must Promptly Investigate”

This webinar presented by MSCASA joined with Victim Rights Law Center to present, Title IX and Mandatory Reporting: Interpreting “Must Promptly Investigate,” focused on the Dear Colleague Letter which issued Title IX guidance related to sexual assault. Lindy Aldrich, Esq., Deputy Director of Victim Rights Law Center presented on this topic.  She provided information about the language in the Dear Colleague Letter that addressed investigation and reporting while also discussing confidentiality and maintaining privacy within a multidisciplinary group.

To view the webinar slides click here. To view the recording click here.