Ohio State University has agreed to revise its policies after the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights found the institution to be in violation of the federal gender-equity law known as Title IX, the department announced on Thursday.
The department’s office, known as OCR, began a review in 2010 to determine whether the university had responded properly to complaints of sexual harassment and assault. During the course of that review, Ohio State investigated allegations of sexual harassment in its marching band. The university fired the band’s director in July, after its inquiry concluded that he had not stamped out a culture of sexual harassment among band members.
The department said that OCR found Ohio State to be in violation of Title IX because its policies and procedures failed to meet the law’s requirements.
The university’s resolution agreement with OCR lists several steps the institution has already taken to ensure its compliance with the law. The university also agreed to define roles and training requirements for its Title IX coordinator, review complaints since the 2011-12 academic year, and expand training for students and staff members, among other reforms. The agreement also requires Ohio State to carry out steps that were included in its own report to eliminate the marching band’s hostile environment.
In a written statement, Catherine E. Lhamon, the department’s assistant secretary for civil rights, praised Ohio State for “taking strong leadership now to eradicate a culture of silence related to sexual harassment.”
“We are grateful for the collaboration with the Department of Education in completing a thorough, proactive review of our Title IX programs and policies, and we are very pleased that the review has found no major concerns and that Ohio State has proper protocols and resources in place for combating sexual harassment and sexual misconduct,” Christopher Davey, an Ohio State spokesman, said in a written statement to The Chronicle. “The completion of this process and steps outlined in the resolution agreement support Ohio State’s continued commitment to supporting an environment that is free from sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, and discrimination.”
