Arizona State University on U.S. list of colleges under Title IX sex violence probes

The U.S. Education Department today released a list of 55 colleges and universities under investigation for sexual violence issues under Title IX, the law against sexual discrimination at educational institutions.

Arizona State University is on the list, along with a wide range of institutions such as Harvard College and Harvard University Law School, the University of Colorado at both Boulder and Denver, Ohio State, Penn State, Sarah Lawrence, and Temple University.

Here is the list.

The impetus for the government releasing the list came from a group called Know Your IX, devoted to informing college students about the law regarding sexual discrimination and sexual violence on college campuses.

Sharon Keeler, a spokeswoman for Arizona State, cited the Education Department’s press release, which states that “a college or university’s appearance on this list and being the subject of a Title IX investigation in no way indicates that the college or university is violating or has violated the law.”

In an email statement, she said, “Arizona State University takes all Title IX sexual misconduct complaints very seriously, thoroughly investigates them and if violations are found, delivers swift and appropriate punishment. The underlying matter leading to the university’s appearance on this list was handled consistent with these standards. The Office of Civil Rights does not investigate the underlying complaint; rather, OCR reviews how an institution has handled a complaint. When ASU was informed by OCR that it had received a complaint, the university promptly provided all relevant information to the agency.  The OCR has approached ASU with the possibility of entering into a pre-investigation resolution.  OCR visited ASU in September 2013 to gather information, and the university has been waiting for further word.”

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