Report 2017-125 Recommendation 9 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 #9 To: University of California
To ensure that campuses retain adequate and consistent documentation for complaints they handle through the informal and formal processes, the Office of the President should determine the types of documents campuses should retain. The Office of the President should consider the types of complaint information, correspondence, and interview notes that would be necessary when determining a campus's response to a complaint. The Office of the President should modify university policy to include these requirements, and they should take effect by July 2019.
1-Year Agency Response
On July 31, 2019, President Napolitano issued a revised systemwide SVSH Policy. As revised, the policy specifies that Title IX Officers must maintain documentation upon completion of a resolution process in accordance with guidelines issued by the Systemwide Title IX Office. On July 15, 2019, the Systemwide Title IX Office issued guidelines developed in consultation with the campus Title IX officers that specify the documentation Title IX Officers must maintain upon closure following initial assessment of a report or closure of a resolution process, including a formal investigation or alternative resolution.
- 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 Title IX Officers must maintain documentation upon completion of a resolution process in accordance with guidelines issued by the Systemwide Title IX Office. 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 necessary policy and is in the review and approval process.
60-Day Agency Response
The Systemwide Title IX Office drafted revisions to the SVSH Policy specifying that Title IX Officers must maintain documentation upon completion of a resolution process in accordance with guidelines issued by the Systemwide Title IX Office. 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.