Filing a Title IX complaint can be confusing and stressful for anyone, but for foreign students and scholars, language and cultural barriers can make the process especially daunting.
Last year, a foreign scholar named Feifei Fan filed a $20-million lawsuit against the Nevada System of Higher Education, accusing a professor at the University of Nevada at Reno of taking advantage of her tenuous status by trapping her in a yearslong sexual relationship. The professor disputes her account. She accused the university of failing to provide her with training on American workplace customs or how to protect herself against sexual harassment.
(On November 8, she voluntarily withdrew that lawsuit, which she told The Chronicle her new lawyer planned to revise and resubmit.)
The Chronicle spoke with experts and reviewed tips about practical ways colleges can help foreign students and scholars better understand their rights. Here are some suggestions:
Include Title IX training in orientation. If possible, schedule separate sessions for international students and scholars to account for different levels of familiarity with the American legal system, Title IX processes, and definitions of sexual assault. Include graduate students, as well as undergraduates, and make sure people know that reporting won’t jeopardize their visa status and that retaliation is not allowed.
Consider cultural sensitivities. Investigators and translators should be aware not only of the sensitivity of the subject matter, but also the differences in cultural backgrounds and norms that might shape someone’s understanding of sexual-misconduct rules and definitions of consent. The prevalence of victim-blaming in some cultures might make students less likely to report.
Make sure offices are communicating. Students may decide to cut back their academic schedules while their cases play out, but dropping a course and falling out of full-time status could jeopardize a foreign student’s visa. Title IX offices should communicate closely with international-student and wellness offices to make sure proper steps are taken to allow for a modified course load.
Be aware of other barriers to reporting. Many foreign students have no family or close friends nearby, and they may feel socially isolated and homesick. That can make them more vulnerable to abuse and less likely to seek help.
Seek input from international students. They’re the best experts at making training more accessible and effective for students from diverse nationalities. Supplement online training with sustained in-person sessions to make the process less intimidating.
