Dear Department of Education and Yale University, thanks for the birthday present. Sincerely, Title IX
Posted on June 21, 2012 |
What do you get a law that has everything? Well, last week, just in time for Title IX’s 40th birthday (this Saturday, June 23), the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and Yale University decided to go the I-put-a-lot-of-time-into-this-present-because-I-really-care-about-you route: OCR and Yale entered into a resolution agreement to settle a complaint alleging that Yale failed to eliminate sex discrimination on campus in violation of Title IX. Happy birthday, Title IX!
The agreement resolves a March 2011 complaint by a group of 16 current and former Yale students alleging that a sexually hostile environment existed on campus. The complaint pointed to an October 2010 incident in which members of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity chanted “No means yes! Yes means anal!” and other charming bon mots in front of the Yale Women’s Center.
This episode, the complaint claimed, was an example of an ongoing pattern of sexual harassment, to which the university failed to promptly or fairly respond. (No students involved received discipline.) In addition, the complaint alleged that Yale didn’t have a Title IX coordinator, as required by the law, and had an inadequate grievance process for addressing sex discrimination complaints.
For the past year and some-odd months, OCR has been investigating the complaint’s allegations, and Yale, on its part, has been implementing a number of policy and practice changes to improve its response to sexual harassment and assault complaints.
Under the voluntary resolution agreement the university agreed to a number of changes to ensure “that it has an environment and culture in which all students feel safe and well supported.” Yale has appointed a Title IX coordinator, and formed a new University-Wide Committee on Sexual Misconduct that will respond to both formal and informal complaints, but given Yale’s alleged practice of encouraging women to file informal complaints, one complainant described the presence of informal reporting in the new scheme as “worrisome.”
Yale has also agreed to ensure that the university community received notice of the available procedures, conduct periodic assessments of campus climate, and “improve observance of appropriate behavioral norms by campus organizations,” which means, I guess, making sure the frat boys shape up. Yale has to report to OCR on its implementation of the agreement, and OCR will monitor the university through May of 2014.
It’s nice of OCR and Yale to give Title IX this resolution agreement for its birthday (40 is the new 30, girl!). But the real present will be if the culture at Yale undergoes real and permanent change.
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President Levin's "Title IX" message to the Yale Community
Does this message to the Yale Community sound truthful to everyone? Why is there not a link provided for concerned community members to go , to read the resolution agreement? This is more institutional lieing from Yale.
From: Richard C. Levin [presidents.office@yale.edu]
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2012 12:08 PM
To: All Yale Faculty, Students & Staff
Subject: Title IX investigation update
To the Yale Community:
I write to inform you that the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights has closed its investigation into Yale’s compliance with Title IX, with no findings of noncompliance. This investigation, which began in March 2011, was based upon a complaint brought by a group of students and alumni alleging that a sexually hostile environment existed on Yale’s campus.
Yale has voluntarily agreed with OCR that it will continue to maintain the many improvements in our programs addressing sexual misconduct to which we have committed our efforts over the past years. As you know, we have augmented resources in SHARE and in other administrative areas to provide guidance and support to those affected by sexual misconduct; we have expanded our education, communications and outreach efforts to prevent sexual misconduct; we have implemented a new University-Wide Committee on Sexual Misconduct to address complaints; and we have strengthened our Title IX Program under the leadership of Stephanie Spangler, Deputy Provost.
This investigation is concluded, but our work is by no means done. As I have stated before, sexual misconduct will not be tolerated. It is inimical to Yale’s values, and it has no place on our campus or in our culture. It is up to each and every member of our community to understand and reinforce these shared values. No one – student, faculty, or staff – should be subjected to sexual misconduct; and we will respond swiftly, effectively, and fairly should improper conduct occur.
I wish to thank the many members of the Yale Community who have given their time and energy to improving our campus culture, whether through conducting education, training and outreach; working on the University-Wide Committee; counseling individuals; serving in the Title IX coordinator program; or contributing in many other ways. And again I wish to thank our external blue ribbon panel led by former Massachusetts Chief Justice Margaret Marshall (YLS ‘76) for the committee’s broad and searching report issued last fall, which provided invaluable guidance to us in identifying ways to improve and maintain a campus climate safe and supportive to all.
Sincerely yours,
Richard C. Levin
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