As a reminder, today representatives from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) will be on campus to assess Syracuse University’s processes for handling of complaints of sexual violence or harassment. This is standard protocol: these OCR visits take place at campuses around the nation, as part of a Title IX review. OCR is looking into about 300 Title IX complaints at universities and colleges nationwide, including one case at the University.
While on campus, OCR will host two community meetings, both of which are open to students, faculty and staff. The OCR visit is an opportunity for the campus to learn more about the processes and policies in place to address these vital issues. During its meetings, OCR will discuss its mission and processes and offer attendees the opportunity to ask questions and share information.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to participate as part of the University’s commitment to a transparent process and supportive environment for survivors of sexual violence. The meetings will be held in Room 228B in the Schine Student Center on the following days:
American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be available at both meetings. For questions about accessibility or to request accommodations, contact the Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services (EOIRS) office at 315.443.4018.
OCR staff will also be available for individual appointments to discuss sexual harassment and sexual assault issues today from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m., and tomorrow from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in Room 233 in the Schine Student Center. For more information about OCR’s visit, click here.
Since these events could be triggering for members of our community who may have been personally impacted by sexual assault, staff from the Sexual and Relationship Violence Response (SRVR) Team will be available and on hand to provide support during the OCR visit. For 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week CONFIDENTIAL support and advocacy, and to discuss your reporting options, contact our SRVR Team at the Counseling Center at 315.443.4715.
The OCR visit follows a significant effort by the University to prevent sexual and relationship violence. In addition to being the first private university to sign onto the Campus Accountability and Safety Act, Syracuse University was an early endorser of the Enough is Enough legislation; is an active participant in the White House’s “It’s On Us” campaign; continues to advance how it addresses sexual and relationship violence via the work of the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence; and just last summer, entered into a formal agreement, known as a Memorandum of Understanding, with Vera House, affirming the University’s commitment to providing privileged and confidential services to those impacted by sexual and relationship violence.
The University will continue to keep the campus community informed of important developments related to Title IX compliance.
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