Title IX at DU

Title IX at DU

Latest Efforts

In 2015 DU announced comprehensive changes designed to enhance our community’s ability to prevent and respond to gender-based discrimination, harassment and violence including sexual violence, relationship (dating and domestic) violence and stalking:

• Hiring a full-time designated Title IX Coordinator to administer and coordinate University efforts and two civil rights investigators to investigate Title IX concerns and Equal Opportunity concerns;
• Revising Procedures for investigations to address concerns raised by the University Community;
• Providing care and support to the survivors of sexual assault and other forms of power-based violence through the Center for Advocacy, Prevention and Empowerment (CAPE) and CAPE’s How to Support a Survivor training;
• Implementing primary prevention strategies and education including Haven training for incoming undergraduates; a Peer Education program and the B.O.S.S. bystander training.
• Requiring Mandatory Reporter training for Faculty and Staff; and
• Conducting biennial campus climate surveys

Recommendations are received from DU’s Title IX Team and from advisors from the Pepper Hamilton Law Firm, and should be viewed as forward-looking. We are implementing emerging best practices and standards in the areas of preventing and responding to sexual assault. These new programs will serve as a model for other colleges and universities.

January 2016 Update: See the Letter from the Chancellor and the Title IX Coordinator and the Audit Report Addendum for a comprehensive list of the most recent changes to the University's Title IX response.

• History of Title IX at DU

  DU initiated its initial training efforts related to Title IX in 2011, when the first guidance related to addressing sexual violence was issued by the US Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. The first Title IX Coordinator, Kathryne Grove, who was also the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, was named.

  DU’s Title IX team was created in 2012, and increased the University’s efforts to strengthen its sexual assault policies, procedures, practices, and training efforts. The Title IX team consists of a variety of University of Denver community members including representatives from Campus Safety, CAPE, HCC, Student Conduct, Graduate Studies, SOS Referral and Academic Services.

  DU’s administration requested an audit of Title IX policies and practices from the national consulting firm, Pepper Hamilton in 2014, in an effort to proactively address the changing guidance on Title IX and the needs expressed by campus partner programs, students, faculty and staff.

  In 2014 re-wrote its Policies and Procedures that address gender discrimination, harassment and violence and started the implementation of initial recommendations from Pepper Hamilton.