Dive Brief:

• According to the U.S. Department of Education, Princeton University failed to respond promptly to sexual violence complaints, failed to end a sexually hostile environment for a student, and used policies and procedures that didn’t comply with federal rules on sexual harassment and violence.
• Princeton implemented new policies and procedures this fall that correct many of the problems reported by the department.
• The university also signed a resolution agreement with the department’s Office for Civil Rights to ensure that it will comply with the federal rules on sexual harassment and violence, also known as Title IX.

Dive Insight:

Among the steps Princeton agreed to take, it will now use a preponderance-of-evidence standard when investigating allegations of sexual violence, provide both parties in a case with appeal rights, handle cases promptly — generally within 45 days — and commit to protecting complainants on an interim basis, including deterring attempts at retaliation. It will also adopt and publicize a comprehensive education and prevention program for university staff and students about the school’s sexual violence policies and support services.