Tag: student affairs

Wheaton College and DOJ enter into a Settlement Agreement addressing sexual assault and harassment.

September 23, 2016

Wheaton College recently entered into a Settlement Agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve a Title IX sexual assault and harassment investigation that was being conducted by DOJ.  This was a swift settlement considering that DOJ initiated the investigation and compliance review on August 31, 2015 (in contrast to the general back-log of investigations … More Wheaton College and DOJ enter into a Settlement Agreement addressing sexual assault and harassment.

Oklahoma Wesleyan University Challenging Legality of OCR’s Sexual Assault Mandates.

August 17, 2016

In a press release Oklahoma Wesleyan University announced that it has joined with FIRE to challenge the legality of the campus sexual assault Dear Colleague Letters (DCLs) that have been issued by the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. As noted in the press release Oklahoma Wesleyan is the first institution of higher education to … More Oklahoma Wesleyan University Challenging Legality of OCR’s Sexual Assault Mandates.

Male Student’s Title IX Lawsuit Against Columbia University Dismissed

April 7, 2016

In a case made famous by a female Columbia University student (Emma Sulkowicz) who toted a mattress around Columbia’s campus, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed all claims contained in a lawsuit filed against Columbia University by Mark Nungesser. The basic facts of the case are that Sulkowicz accused Nungesser … More Male Student’s Title IX Lawsuit Against Columbia University Dismissed

Senator Questions Legality of Office for Civil Rights’ Dear Colleague Letters

January 19, 2016

Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) has written a letter to the U.S. Department of Education questioning the legal basis of the guidance letters that have been issued the past several years by the Department’s Office for Civil Rights regarding their interpretation of Title IX and campus sexual harassment/assault and bullying. In his letter Senator Lankford challenges … More Senator Questions Legality of Office for Civil Rights’ Dear Colleague Letters

New Developments in UVA Dean’s Rolling Stone Defamation Lawsuit

January 11, 2016

I have written earlier about Nicole Eramo, an Associate Dean at the University of Virginia, filing a defamation lawsuit against Rolling Stone magazine for the way she was portrayed in a now discredited gang rape article that was based on what the magazine was told by “Jackie” (a student at the University of Virginia).  The saga of … More New Developments in UVA Dean’s Rolling Stone Defamation Lawsuit

University of Dayton Prevails Against Male Student’s Attempt to Stop His Suspension for Sexual Misconduct

December 14, 2015

Dyshawn Pierre, a basketball player at the University of Dayton, received a one semester suspension for sexual misconduct.  I previously wrote about the U.S. District Court’s rejection of Mr. Pierre’s Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order to halt the suspension. Mr. Pierre subsequently took another shot at halting the suspension by filing a Motion for Preliminary … More University of Dayton Prevails Against Male Student’s Attempt to Stop His Suspension for Sexual Misconduct

Pennsylvania Federal Court Temporarily Halts Penn State Campus Sexual Assault Suspension

November 9, 2015

Pennsylvania State University is the latest university to have a Court issue an Order halting the suspension of a student based on a sexual misconduct finding.  This is a briefly written 4 page Temporary Restraining Order that represents another instance of a Court interjecting itself into a campus disciplinary finding, something that traditionally courts have been loath to … More Pennsylvania Federal Court Temporarily Halts Penn State Campus Sexual Assault Suspension

University of Virginia and the Office for Civil Rights Enter into a Title IX Sexual Assault Resolution Agreement.

October 8, 2015

The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights recently entered into a Resolution Agreement with the University of Virginia.  The Resolution Agreement was the result of a Title IX investigation that was opened by OCR in June of 2011. The announcement of this Resolution Agreement (along with a letter directed to the University of Virginia) follows … More University of Virginia and the Office for Civil Rights Enter into a Title IX Sexual Assault Resolution Agreement.

Tennessee State Court Overturns Campus Sexual Assault Finding.

August 26, 2015

Another state court has overturned a university’s decision to expel a student following a finding that the student had sexually assaulted another student.  This case, Mock v. University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, was the subject of a bit of media attention.  The expelled student was a wrestler and his father, the former wrestling coach at the … More Tennessee State Court Overturns Campus Sexual Assault Finding.

New York & Virginia Require Transcript Notations for Sexual Assault.

July 15, 2015

New York and Virginia are now requiring transcript notations for students who have been found responsible for sexual assault. Inside Higher Ed wrote an article reviewing this new mandate in New York and Virginia.  It is worth a read. It remains to be seem if other states will institute a similar requirement. Feedback and shares welcome. … More New York & Virginia Require Transcript Notations for Sexual Assault.