Ohio State University remains under Title IX investigation
The case under investigation is from August 8th, 2015
The U.S Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a list on February 24th of the high education institutions under investigation for possible violations of federal law, specifically over the handling of sexual violence and harassment.
Title IX, amended in 1972, prohibits “discrimination on the basis of sex in all education programs.”
All colleges and universities receiving federal funds must comply with Title IX. Not abiding to do so makes them a target for federal investigation.
Ohio State was previously investigated in 2010 and later cleared in 2014, only to be added once again due to an incident that took place on August 8, 2015.
“We are making this list available in an effort to bring more transparency to our enforcement work and to foster better public awareness of civil rights,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon said.
The department will not release any case-specific investigations, but if any member of the Ohio State student population has experienced sexual violence or harassment, resources are available on campus.
The Ohio State University Student Advocacy center is located in 1120 Lincoln Tower, and can be reached by phone at (614) 292-1111.
Other vital resources include:
Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio (SARNCO) | (614) 267-7020 (24 hour care)
Title IX | 247-5838 | [email protected] (To take further action regarding a case)
As of 2015, one in five women and one in 16 men experience sexual harassment or misconduct while in college, and more than 90 percent of sexual assault victims on college campuses never report the assault. It is also legally unacceptable to be discriminated upon gender or sex. As a student of Ohio State, it is inexcusable to be without a equally safe environment for education until Title IX. Know your rights, and demand action.