University chiefs say halting sexual violence is top priority

? Kansas University Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little told the Kansas Board of Regents Wednesday that the university is improving its handling of sexual assault complaints and working to prevent sexual assaults from happening in the first place.

“The really critical thing we need to do is to decrease the occurrence and to change the culture of the campus in a way that makes this a less likely thing to happen,” Gray-Little said.

KU is one of three universities in Kansas, along with Kansas State University and Washburn University, that are currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights for their handling of sexual assault complaints.

They are among 85 universities nationwide currently under investigation, according to the Office of Civil Rights.

In response to concerns raised by students, Gray-Little noted that KU has established a Sexual Assault Task Force that will make recommendations about further steps the university can take to improve the handling of such complaints.

In the meantime, Gray-Little said, KU has already taken steps to beef up its compliance with Title IX, a provision of the Civil Rights Act that prohibits sexual discrimination and harassment in educational institutions that receive federal funding.

She said the university is now enforcing a requirement that students complete a mandatory training program in sexual assault and harassment before they can register for classes. “We said that it’s required; however, there hasn’t been any enforcement of the requirement,” Gray-Little said.

She also said that on a temporary basis, the provost’s office has funded a full-time position for a person to help advise and counsel victims, witnesses and others who are affected by sexual assault.

Each of the other five Regents university presidents briefed the board on their efforts to comply with the Title IX requirements, as well as the Jeanne Clery Act, which requires colleges and universities to disclose information about crime on and around their campuses, and the Violence Against Women Act, which, among other things, allows for civil claims in cases that prosecutors decline to take to court.

Rachel Rolf, KU’s associate general counsel, said that while local law enforcement is responsible for prosecuting sexual assaults, under Title IX universities have a responsibility to respond to complaints from students and to ensure the safety of students.

Rolf said rape and sexual assault are a form of sexual harassment that create a hostile environment that can make students feel threatened. Universities cannot defer to local law enforcement to handle those complaints, she said.

KU officials came under harsh criticism recently when students accused the university of an inadequate response to an alleged sexual assault on campus.

The Department of Education would not comment on the status of the investigations at KU, K-State and Washburn.

When an investigation concludes, the department will disclose, upon request, whether the civil rights office has entered into a resolution agreement to address compliance concerns at a particular campus or found insufficient evidence of a Title IX violation there, the department said.