In the wake of a series of federal complaints against some of the nation’s flagship universities, the White House is implementing policy to force colleges and universities to address sexual assaults on campus. This latest action, which includes a task force appointed by President Obama in January, is in addition to the requirements under Campus SaVE provision of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act that Obama signed last year.
Campus SaVE requires that all colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs create training and educational programs to reduce campus sexual assault.
The President established a task force to assist colleges in implementing the requirements of Campus SaVE and other federal laws because the compliance was problematic. “Reports show … that institutions' compliance with these Federal laws is uneven and, in too many cases, inadequate,” a January press report from the White House said.
The task force confirmed the White House’s assessment.
"Prevention and education programs vary widely, with many doing neither well," said a statement issued by the new task force. "And in all too many instances survivors of sexual violence are not at the heart of an institution's response: They often do not have a safe, confidential place to turn after an assault, they haven't been told how the system works, and they often believe it is working against them. We heard from many who reached out for help or action, but were told they should just put the matter behind them."
The task force makes its recommendations following a 90-day review period, which includes in-depth research and interviews. The resulting recommendations may provide more clarity to colleges and universities seeking to develop and refine training programs based on guidelines that were vague under Campus SaVE.
Included in the recommendations is a series of actions designed to identify the scope of the problem, as well as “improve, and make more transparent, the federal government’s enforcement efforts,” according to a press release from the White House.
The recommendations reflect the type of change that colleges and universities have been calling for, said Abigail Boyer, Assistant Executive Director of Programs, Outreach, and Communications at the Clery Center for Security On Campus. “We are seeing a lot students speak out on the issue and it also reflects the call to action issued by the Department of Education’s Dear Colleague Letter of 2011,” she said.
The referenced letter said that students should have an educational environment free from sexual harassment and sexual violence.
In addition to its recommendations, the White House said that it would “continue to pursue additional executive or legislative actions in the future.”
The White House also announced that it would launch a dedicated website, www.NotAlone.gov, that would make enforcement data available to the public.
