Princeton Guilty of Violating Title IX

princeton guiltyPrinceton University has agreed to settle a Title IX investigation with the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights. According to reports, “The government found that [Princeton] had failed to respond ‘promptly and equitably’ to complaints of sexual violence in violation of federal law.”  Story here.

A report issued by the Office of Civil Rights stated that “Princeton was being investigated for three separate cases. The first two were brought up on the same basis—the accused was not found guilty and the accusers were not allowed to appeal the decisions.” Consequently, the policy necessarily treated the parties differently because the accused was afforded the right to appeal and remain on campus.

In the third case, Princeton agreed to revise the burden of proof used to determine whether a student has violated its code of conduct relative to Title IX issues. Under the old policy, Princeton required the accuser to prove sexual assault by “clear and persuasive” evidence, a substantially more stringent standard than the “preponderance of evidence,” the lower standard required in cases involving Title IX.

As part of the settlement, Princeton has also agreed to review all sexual assault cases for the past three years.

If you have questions about Title IX or gender discrimination issues, contact the attorneys at Bryan & Terrill, 918-935-2777.