Report 2017-125 Recommendation 6 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 #6 To: University of California
To ensure that campuses administer the informal process correctly for complaints alleging conduct that would violate university policy, by July 2019 the Office of the President should identify required elements for capturing the agreement between a complainant and respondent to use the informal process and require the campuses to integrate these required elements into their processes.
1-Year Agency Response
On July 31, 2019, President Napolitano issued a revised systemwide SVSH Policy. As revised, the policy specifies that the Title IX Officer must document agreements reached through the informal resolution process in accordance with guidelines issued by the Systemwide Title IX Office. On July 15, 2019, the Systemwide Title IX Office issued the referenced guidelines, which identify the required elements for capturing the agreement between a complainant and respondent to use the informal process and require the campuses to integrate these required elements into their processes.
- 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 Title IX Officer must document agreements reached through the informal resolution process in accordance with guidelines issued by the Systemwide Title IX Office. The guidelines will identify required elements for capturing the agreement between a complainant and respondent to use the informal process and require the campuses to integrate these required elements into their processes. 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 the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) for review and approval in February 2019. Following consultation with its campus partners, the Systemwide Title IX Office will develop and issue the referenced guidelines by July 2019.
- 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 revisions to its sexual harassment policy. Those revisions are in the review and approval process.
60-Day Agency Response
The Systemwide Title IX Office drafted revisions to the SVSH Policy specifying that the Title IX Officer must document agreements reached through the informal resolution process in accordance with guidelines issued by the Systemwide Title IX Office. The guidelines will identify required elements for capturing the agreement between a complainant and respondent to use the informal process and require the campuses to integrate these required elements into their processes. The Systemwide Title IX Office is informally consulting with University stakeholders on the draft SVSH Policy revisions, and will begin the formal review process required by University procedures in September 2018. Following consultation with its campus partners, the Systemwide Title IX Office will develop and issue the referenced guidelines prior to or concurrently with issuance of the revised SVSH 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.