New federal guidance on Title IX won’t affect CU in the short term

The U.S. Department of Education’s Friday announcement, that it was rescinding the “Dear Colleague” letter and associated question-and-answer document, does not significantly affect University of Colorado campuses in the short term.

University General Counsel Patrick O’Rourke said CU’s legal team is conducting a thorough review of the ruling on the “Dear Colleague” letter and associated question-and-answer document before determining whether the university needs to make any changes.

“The rescission of these documents does not have a significant immediate effect upon the University of Colorado campuses,” O’Rourke said. “While it would give the campuses some additional flexibility in how we structure our Title IX processes, I do not think that the federal government has imposed new mandates upon institutions of higher education through its actions.”

Title IX coordinators at the campuses will not be making immediate changes to any applicable policies or procedures.

“While the new guidance withdraws the Office of Civil Rights’ prior 2011 Dear Colleague Letter on Sexual Violence and the 2014 Questions and Answers on Title IX and Sexual Violence, it does not change our critical obligation in addressing harassment and discrimination, including sexual assault, intimate partner abuse, and stalking as required by Title IX, the Clery Act, the Violence Against Women Act, federal and state law and our policies. This will remain a priority issue,” wrote Valerie Simons, executive director and Title IX coordinator, CU Boulder Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance, in a communication. Read the full note here.