April 30, 2014 · The Harvard Crimson

Federal Recommendations May Be in Tension with Harvard’s Handling of Sexual Assault

New U.S. Department of Education guidelines, released alongside a White House report on campus sexual violence, could pressure Harvard to reassess its sexual assault policies and procedures. These guidelines emphasize handling Title IX grievances with the "preponderance of the evidence" standard and outline potential conflicts for Title IX coordinators with other administrative roles. Harvard's current evidence standard and use of deans as Title IX coordinators may conflict with these recommendations. The White House report also suggests developing climate surveys and involving students in policy drafting, which has been a point of contention at Harvard. Student activists from Our Harvard Can Do Better argue for greater student involvement in policy changes. Harvard recently submitted revised policies to the Office for Civil Rights for review and awaits feedback.
Creator
Conway, Madeline R.
Lee, Steven S.
Publisher
The Harvard Crimson
Date
2014-04-30
Format
Digital
Local URL
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2014/4/30/federal-guidelines-sexual-assault/
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Date Added August 1, 2024
Date Modifed November 10, 2024
Collection Harvard and Sexual Assault