Report 2017-125 Recommendation 16 Responses
Report 2017-125: The University of California: It Must Take Additional Steps to Address Long-Standing Issues With Its Response to Sexual Harassment Complaints (Release Date: June 2018)
Recommendation #16 To: University of California
To ensure that university policy complies with best practices, the systemwide office should amend that policy by July 2019 to incorporate the following provision in addition to the other changes that it has already agreed upon in its resolution with OCR:
A statement that the university may initiate a complaint.
1-Year Agency Response
On July 31, 2019, President Napolitano issued a revised systemwide SVSH Policy specifies circumstances under which the University may initiate an investigation.
- Completion Date: July 2019
- Response Date: July 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented
6-Month Agency Response
The Systemwide Title IX Office drafted revisions to the SVSH Policy specifying that the University may initiate a complaint investigation without a complainant, and providing examples of when it may be appropriate to do so. The current SVSH Policy, and the proposed revisions, address when the University may initiate an investigation despite a complainant's preference that it not do so. Formal review of the SVSH Policy revisions required by University procedures concluded on December 17, 2018. The Systemwide Title IX Office is considering comments received during the formal review, and will finalize the SVSH Policy and submit it to OCR for review and approval in February 2019. The University originally intended to issue the revised policy by July 2019. However, proposed federal regulations may require that the University further revise the policy, which would delay its issuance.
- Estimated Completion Date: July 2019
- Response Date: December 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending
The Office of the President has drafted necessary policy and is in the review and approval process.
60-Day Agency Response
The Systemwide Title IX Office drafted revisions to the SVSH Policy specifying that the University may initiate a complaint investigation without a complainant, and providing examples of when it may be appropriate to do so. The current SVSH Policy, and the proposed revisions, address when the University may initiate an investigation despite a complainant's preference that it not do so. The office is informally consulting with University stakeholders on the draft revisions, will begin the formal review process required by University procedures in September 2018, and will issue the revised policy by July 2019.
- Estimated Completion Date: July 2019
- Response Date: August 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending
All Recommendations in 2017-125
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.