Report 2017-125 Recommendation 13 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 #13 To: University of California

To ensure that the systemwide office has appropriate direction and the systemwide coordinator has the necessary authority, the Office of the President should work with the systemwide coordinator to develop a strategic plan for the systemwide office that delineates how it will approach achieving consistency systemwide. This plan should also ensure that the systemwide office updates university policy to comply with federal and state requirements and best practices, that it reviews and approves local procedures for compliance with university policy, that it oversees campus Title IX activities, and that it improves the university's use of campus data on sexual harassment complaints. The Office of the President should grant the systemwide coordinator the authority needed to enforce the desired plan, and it should develop the plan by December 31, 2018.

6-Month Agency Response

The Systemwide Title IX Coordinator worked with the Office of Strategy and Program Management and the location Title IX Officers to create a strategic plan. The plan addresses methods of achieving consistency across the system and the Systemwide Title IX Office's role in achieving it; the office's role in and approach to reviewing University policies and procedures, including local implementing procedures, for consistency, legal compliance and best practices; the office's role and approach to overseeing the campus Title IX offices; and how to maximize the utility of data collected from the campuses. To ensure the Systemwide Title IX Coordinator has the authority necessary to implement the strategic plan, and that the authority is adequately understood by campus leaders, the Office of the President informed the Chancellors and Title IX Officers in December 2018 that the Title IX Officers will have a solid-line dual report to the Systemwide Title IX Coordinator.

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

60-Day Agency Response

The Systemwide Title IX Coordinator will work with the Office of Strategy and Program Management and the Office of the President to create a strategic plan. The plan will address what consistency is desired across the system and the Systemwide Title IX Office's role in achieving it; the office's role in and approach to reviewing University policies and procedures, including local implementing procedures, for consistency, legal compliance and best practices; the office's role and approach to overseeing the campus Title IX offices; and how to maximize the utility of data collected from the campuses. The Office of the President and Systemwide Title IX Coordinator will work together to ensure the coordinator has the authority necessary to implement the strategic plan, and that the authority is adequately understood by campus leaders.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: No Action Taken

The systemwide office has expressed its intent to implement this recommendation. We look forward to reviewing its progress in its six-month response.

All Recommendations in 2017-125

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.