Report 2022-109 Recommendation 13 Responses

Report 2022-109: California State University: It Did Not Adequately or Consistently Address Some Allegations of Sexual Harassment (Release Date: July 2023)

Recommendation #13 To: University, California State

To improve CSU's systemwide response to sexual harassment, the Chancellor's Office should establish a process no later than July 2024 for regularly collecting and analyzing sexual harassment data—via annual Title IX reports or a similar mechanism—from all campuses to identify any concerning patterns or trends, such as those involving repeat subjects, particular academic departments, or specific student or employee populations. As a part of these efforts, it should also collect and analyze data related to the timeliness of campuses' responses to allegations. When it identifies concerning trends or patterns, the Chancellor's Office should share its findings with the campuses and offer guidance for addressing the issues in question. Finally, upon implementing the recommendation that all campuses use the same case management system, the Chancellor's Office should use these systems to collect and facilitate its analysis of these data.

1-Year Agency Response

The Chancellor's Office has established a process for regularly collecting and analyzing sexual harassment data through its Annual Report Survey, which campuses are required to complete each year. The Chancellor's Office revised the survey to ensure more accurate and refined data about case statistics and to capture data required by California Education Code, Section 66282. The data from the survey allows each campus to identify concerning patterns or trends to strengthen the CSU's response to discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented

The Chancellor's Office has established a process for regularly collecting and analyzing sexual harassment data from all campuses to identify any concerning patterns or trends, such as those involving repeat subjects, particular academic departments, or specific student or employee populations. The Chancellor's Office indicated that the data will allows each university to identify concerning patterns or trends to strengthen the systemwide response to discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. It further indicates that this information also assists with training and prevention efforts. Now that the Chancellor's Office has established this process, we will assess this recommendation as partially implemented until the Chancellor's Office provides evidence of its analysis of sexual harassment data, and any resulting findings and guidance it shares with campuses.

6-Month Agency Response

The Chancellor's Office is working to establish a process for regularly collecting and analyzing sexual harassment data upon acquisition of a systemwide electronic case management system. The Chancellor's Office is in the final stages of revising the survey that each campus will complete on an annual basis to ensure more accurate and refined data about case statistics and to capture data required by California Education Code, Section 66282. In addition, the Chancellor's Office is developing other tools designed to identify patterns and trends of concern on campuses.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

The Chancellor's Office intends to procure a systemwide electronic case management system that will serve as a repository of data and a hub for identifying trends, reporting data, and monitoring compliance with investigation and other case-related timelines. No later than July 2024, the Chancellor's Office will clarify and refine the data fields to be maintained by the universities so as to ensure greater consistency and integrity of the data collected. The Chancellor's Office will establish a process for regularly collecting and analyzing sexual harassment data upon acquisition of a systemwide electronic case management system and will ensure an alternative process is established for doing so until the systemwide solution is acquired.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2022-109

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.