California State University campuses mishandled sexual harassment allegations, audit finds
1 year, 5 months ago

California State University campuses mishandled sexual harassment allegations, audit finds

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A flawed policy at California State University, the largest higher education system in the country, contributed to the closure of nearly a dozen sexual harassment cases without thorough explanation, according to a state audit reviewing 40 cases over the span of seven years. The audit, released Tuesday, examined allegations of harassment between 2016 and 2022 against employees at the university system’s chancellor’s office and three of 23 campuses: California State University, Fresno, San José State University and Sonoma State University. Sexual harassment is among the misconduct banned by state and federal laws, but California State University’s policy aimed to address it falls short, the audit found. “Nonetheless, CSU’s sexual harassment policy lacks detailed guidelines about how to make and document these determinations.” There were more than 1,200 reports of sexual harassment by employees overall at California State University campuses between 2018 and 2022, the report shows.

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History of this topic

University of California campuses resolve discrimination complaints stemming from Gaza protests
3 weeks ago

University of California campuses resolve discrimination complaints stemming from Gaza protests

Associated Press  

The U.S. Department of Education said Friday it has reached an agreement with the University of California system resolving complaints from Jewish and Muslim students of discrimination and harassment during protests last spring over the war in Gaza. The department’s Office for Civil Rights said it investigated nine complaints against University of California schools in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San …

Newsom signs law requiring stronger sexual harassment policies at CSU
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Newsom signs law requiring stronger sexual harassment policies at CSU

LA Times  

The California State University system will be required to establish clear policies and guidelines for how sexual harassment cases are investigated and tracked under a bill Gov. The new law obligates the 23-campus network to implement recommendations from a 2023 state audit that examined how officials investigated and tracked complaints at the nation’s largest public four-year university system following outcry …

S.F. State employee who oversaw sexual misconduct and discrimination cases alleges retaliation
9 months, 4 weeks ago

S.F. State employee who oversaw sexual misconduct and discrimination cases alleges retaliation

LA Times  

A former San Francisco State University employee who oversaw the handling of sexual misconduct and discrimination cases alleged that the campus president and an official with the state university system tried to interfere with an investigation into harassment allegations against a professor and said that the school failed to properly investigate hundreds of claims of wrongdoing. In a 20-page complaint …

Faculty call for overhaul of how L.A. community colleges respond to sexual harassment
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Faculty call for overhaul of how L.A. community colleges respond to sexual harassment

LA Times  

Los Angeles Southwest College, one of nine campuses of the Los Angeles Community College District, is pictured at sunset. Faculty leaders of the state’s largest community college district are calling for an overhaul and a “survivor-centered approach” to how the Los Angeles system responds to sexual harassment complaints after a jury awarded $10 million to a professor who accused a …

Sexual misconduct scandals rocked this California university system. Top leaders escaped scrutiny
1 year ago

Sexual misconduct scandals rocked this California university system. Top leaders escaped scrutiny

LA Times  

The California State University Board of Trustees failed to prevent a sexual misconduct crisis at the 23-campus system they oversee. State Assemblymember Akilah Weber said that no trustee “has been holding the chancellor or the individual campuses accountable.” “It’s very clear that what we cannot do is take them at their word,” said Weber, who attended a recent legislative hearing …

Newsom signs bill that requires CSU to report sexual harassment cases, following Times reports
1 year, 3 months ago

Newsom signs bill that requires CSU to report sexual harassment cases, following Times reports

LA Times  

California State University will soon be required to publicly disclose the outcome of sexual harassment complaints and investigations and strengthen several other measures of accountability under a bill that Gov. “This bill will make sure that our policies are followed in the state to make sure that laws are followed, and also that there’s repercussions when the law is not …

California State University campuses mishandled sexual harassment allegations, audit finds
1 year, 5 months ago

California State University campuses mishandled sexual harassment allegations, audit finds

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A flawed policy at California …

Widespread flaws found in Cal State system’s handling of sexual misconduct cases
1 year, 7 months ago

Widespread flaws found in Cal State system’s handling of sexual misconduct cases

LA Times  

An exterior of the CSU Office of the Chancellor in Long Beach. An outside report released Wednesday delivered a sweeping indictment of how sexual misconduct cases are handled by California State University and recommended wholesale reforms to improve accountability in the nation’s largest four-year public university system. The report by the law firm Cozen O’Connor, presented at a meeting of …

CSU didn’t investigate claims that Fullerton president inappropriately touched students
1 year, 7 months ago

CSU didn’t investigate claims that Fullerton president inappropriately touched students

LA Times  

The Cal State Fullerton campus received three reports alleging that students were inappropriately touched by President Framroze “Fram” Virjee. The other accused the president of touching a student’s arm and rubbing her back “without her consent” — behavior that she and a witness agreed was “unacceptable.” The campus official in charge of enforcing sexual harassment policy “assessed the information” and …

Colleges Lack Functional Complaint Committee, Demand for Stricter ICC Implementation as Harassment Cases Rise
2 years, 4 months ago

Colleges Lack Functional Complaint Committee, Demand for Stricter ICC Implementation as Harassment Cases Rise

News 18  

Despite the closure of colleges and universities due to Covid-19, the number of sexual harassment complaints is yet to see a downward trend. Year Cases Reported in College Cases Reported in Universities Total Cases Reported 2016-17 18 86 104 2017-18 39 149 188 2018-19 4 75 79 2019-20 54 245 299 2020-21 51 52 103 Reported cases, however, are just …

Cal State agreed to keep sexual harassment findings against two professors under wraps
2 years, 5 months ago

Cal State agreed to keep sexual harassment findings against two professors under wraps

LA Times  

After a few alcoholic drinks at a pizza joint near campus, a professor in the psychology department at Cal State San Marcos allegedly insinuated to a female student that he was turned on and started kissing her neck. A Cal State San Marcos spokeswoman said the settlements were reached after consideration of several factors, including the prospect the professors could …

After Times investigations, state will investigate CSU sex harassment scandals
2 years, 6 months ago

After Times investigations, state will investigate CSU sex harassment scandals

LA Times  

Sonoma State and two other CSU campuses will be subject to a state audit. In requesting the audit, members of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee cited Los Angeles Times investigations that uncovered inconsistencies in how sexual harassment and workforce retaliation complaints are investigated across the 23-campus system and detailed millions of dollars in payouts to top executives, some of whom …

Four high-ranking men at CSU campuses were accused of sexual harassment. All were treated differently
2 years, 7 months ago

Four high-ranking men at CSU campuses were accused of sexual harassment. All were treated differently

LA Times  

Cal State Channel Islands investigated a top administrator on allegations of sexual harassment after he moved to a new campus. “You don’t want every campus creating their own approach.” Providing clearer guidance would help ensure a more consistent and fair process for everyone involved, including students, said Sharon Reiter, a former associate vice president at Cal Poly Pomona who oversaw …

CSU to launch investigation into Fresno State over handling of sexual harassment claims
2 years, 10 months ago

CSU to launch investigation into Fresno State over handling of sexual harassment claims

LA Times  

California State University officials on Tuesday announced that they are launching an independent investigation into how Fresno State University administrators handled sexual harassment complaints against a former campus vice president. “It is important that we understand how campus leaders at Fresno State responded to the workplace concerns about Dr. Frank Lamas,” CSU Board of Trustees Chair Lillian Kimbell said in …

Over 100 state lawmakers accused of misconduct in 3 years
4 years, 11 months ago

Over 100 state lawmakers accused of misconduct in 3 years

Associated Press  

— State lawmakers across the U.S. have reached a troubling milestone for allegations of sexual misconduct, even as they have taken significant steps to try to prevent and investigate such behavior. That tally has continued to grow, despite the fact that the vast majority of state legislative chambers now require lawmakers to undergo training about sexual harassment, the AP review …

Ruling affirming the rights of students accused of sexual misconduct roils California colleges
5 years, 10 months ago

Ruling affirming the rights of students accused of sexual misconduct roils California colleges

LA Times  

Pedestrians walk on the USC campus in Los Angeles. A case involving Bryce Dixon, a former USC football player accused of sexual assault triggered a ruling that’s causing California college campuses to overhaul their Title IX procedures. Colleges and universities across California are scrambling to revise the way they handle sexual misconduct cases after a state appellate court ruled that …

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