Following the issuance of new guidance documents today from the U.S. Department of Education, we want to assure our community that the university remains firmly committed to the prevention of and response to sexual violence.
While the new guidance withdraws the Office of Civil Rights’ prior 2011 Dear Colleague Letter on Sexual Violence and the 2014 Questions and Answers on Title IX and Sexual Violence, it does not change our critical obligation in addressing harassment and discrimination, including sexual assault, intimate partner abuse, and stalking as required by Title IX, the Clery Act, the Violence Against Women Act, federal and state law and our policies. This will remain a priority issue.
Based on today’s guidance, we will not make any changes to any of our applicable policies or procedures, but will continue our routine reviews to ensure compliance with applicable law and to reflect the best practices possible.
All universities have a shared mission and a moral responsibility in this area, and the guidance issued today will not change our commitment, now or in the future. CU Boulder will continue to value and prioritize the importance of highly trained, neutral investigators to ensure a fair and unbiased process, minimizing barriers to reporting, implementing tailored and equitable interim measures, and robust education and prevention efforts. We will also evaluate with our campus and university community the most appropriate and effective ways to engage in the rule-making process.
Valerie Simons,
Executive Director and Title IX Coordinator,
Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance
