Report 2022-109 Recommendation 6 Responses

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

Recommendation #6 To: University, California State

To ensure the effectiveness of the informal resolution process, the Chancellor's Office should, by July 2024, provide additional guidance to campuses related to this process. In particular, the guidance should clarify how campuses should offer complainants information about possible remedies that address their concerns. For example, the Chancellor's Office could work with campuses to create a template for an informal resolution agreement that also includes examples of specific corrective action options or other outcomes that parties could consider when determining remedies.

1-Year Agency Response

In June 2024, the Chancellor's Office issued additional guidance related to the informal resolution process. The guidance included a memorandum describing the informal resolution process, a notice of request for informal resolution, an informal resolution agreement template and information sheet. The informal resolution information sheet and agreement template includes examples of specific corrective action options and other outcomes that parties can consider when determining remedies. Prior to this additional guidance, the CSU's nondiscrimination policy provided guidance on the informal resolution process.

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

The Chancellor's Office's guidance documents related to the informal resolution process includes information about how campuses should offer complainants information about possible remedies to address their concerns, including a template for an information resolution agreement with examples of specific correction action options. This new guidance implements all elements in our recommendation.

6-Month Agency Response

The Chancellor's Office is developing additional guidance related to the informal resolution process as well as methods for campuses to explain the process and describe remedies that could be incorporated into an informal resolution. A first draft of the guidance is expected to be completed by May 2024.

In addition, the Chancellor's Office is developing a workshop to further educate campuses about the informal resolution process.

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

60-Day Agency Response

In July 2023, the Chancellor's Office hosted its annual three-day systemwide Title IX and Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation (DHR) conference for all Title IX Coordinators, Deputy Title IX Coordinators and Investigators. A conference session was dedicated to the discussion of the informal resolution process. In addition, the Chancellor's Office will develop additional guidance related to the informal resolution process and to evaluate methods that campuses could use to most effectively provide information to complainants and respondents about potential corrective actions options or other outcomes.

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

All Recommendations in 2022-109

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.