Report 2022-109 Recommendation 5 Responses

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

Recommendation #5 To: University, California State

To ensure that campuses adequately address problematic behavior that does not meet the threshold of sexual harassment, the Chancellor's Office should, by January 2025, establish a systemwide policy or systemwide procedures for addressing this type of unprofessional or inappropriate conduct. At minimum, the Chancellor's Office should require that when campuses determine through an investigation that a respondent's conduct does not meet the threshold of sexual harassment, but that the conduct nevertheless occurred and was unprofessional or inappropriate, campuses make written findings specific to the unprofessional conduct and impose discipline or corrective action, as appropriate, based on the conduct.

1-Year Agency Response

The Chancellor's Office has developed draft guidance for assessing and addressing problematic behavior that does not meet the threshold of sexual harassment, but which is nevertheless unprofessional or inappropriate. The draft guidance was presented to the Board of Trustees during the May 2024 meeting as an information item. The Board of Trustees reviewed the guidance and provided feedback. Additionally, other stakeholder groups are reviewing the guidance and the Chancellor's Office has been collecting feedback since April 2024. The Chancellor's Office is reviewing the feedback and will issue updated guidance by January 2025.

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

6-Month Agency Response

The Chancellor's Office is developing guidance for assessing and addressing problematic behavior that does not meet the threshold of sexual harassment, but which is nevertheless unprofessional or inappropriate. A status update will be provided to the Board of Trustees at the January 2024 meeting.

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

60-Day Agency Response

The Chancellor's Office is developing a process to address problematic behavior that does not meet the threshold of sexual harassment, but which is nevertheless unprofessional or inappropriate.

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

All Recommendations in 2022-109

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.