Office of Civil Rights representatives to come to SU for Title IX review
Syracuse University is one of 300 universities being investigated by the Office of Civil Rights
At the end of the Spring 2016 semester, Syracuse University students found out that the University is under federal investigation for its handling of sexual assault cases after a former SU student filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. The individual claimed that Syracuse University did not “respond promptly or equitably” to their claim when it was filed at SU on May 5, 2015. The investigation against the University opened on June 22.
Page 1 of 6 of the OCR’s response to the complaint
Today Syracuse University students received an email from University officials to inform the student body that representatives from the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) “will be on campus to assess Syracuse University’s processes for handling of complaints of sexual violence of harassment.” According to the email, this is the standard procedure when a federal Title IX investigation is opened by the OCR.
Students can get involved with the process by attending one of the two community meetings that the OCR will host. The representatives plan to talk about what they do, why they are at SU, and to give students, faculty, and staff the chance to ask questions. These meetings will be held in Room 228B in Schine on Tuesday, 24 January from 2:30-4pm and Wednesday, 25 January from 9:30-11am.
In addition to these community boards, the OCR representatives will also be making individual appointments “to discuss sexual harassment and sexual assault issues.” This opportunity is on both 24 and 24 January following the community meetings.
Students are encouraged to join the conversation by attending one of these meetings.
As always, the email from the University stressed the importance of maintaining a safe and supportive space for sexual assault survivors. In October, The Tab wrote about It’s On Us and the important place that it holds on campus. There are other resources that students can turn to beyond It’s On Us and Title IX coordinator including Vera House, the Syracuse Police Department and the Syracuse University Counseling Center.