Colleges bungle sexual misconduct cases in California. These bills are trying to change that
Sexual misconduct and Title IX mishandling has run rampant across California colleges and universities. As a result, the California legislature’s high education committee drafted 12 bills under “A Call to Action” legislative package to hold California universities accountable for handling Title IX.
Two bills, Assembly Bill 1790 and AB 2608 have already been signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
AB 2608 requires the California State University and California Community Colleges to train students annually on sexual violence and sexual harassment. AB 1790 requires the California State University to implement state audit recommendations by law.
All bills in this package are focused on accountability, including Senate Bill 1166 authored by Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa. This bill proposes that all three public California university systems provide a Title IX report from all of its colleges. SB1166 would require universities to publicly report their handling of sexual misconduct investigations.
“These institutions need to be accountable to the faculty or students and the alumni population at large, making sure these claims are fully reviewed and dealt with appropriately,” Dodd said.
The last day for bills to pass each house is Aug. 31.
Accountability and transparency
Students have stepped up to the plate and have advocated for the California legislature to hold institutions responsible and require transparency. One of them is Kate Rodgers, a rising senior at the University of California, Los Angeles.
One of the first lessons Rodgers learned when she arrived at UCLA is how broken the Title IX system is, she said.
She only ever heard bad things. Stories of the university failing to take action against perpetrators, and how the campus community had no faith in the system doing justice.
So when something happened to her, she didn’t come forward.
“I’ve only heard that this is not going to help. It’s only going to make things worse. I’m not going to be safe,” she said.
That incident wouldn’t be the only one for Rodgers. When she was a junior, she alleges a faculty member began following her. He learned her class schedule and would follow her around campus and into the women’s bathroom, she said.
When she found out she wasn’t the only student he was alleging doing this to, she took action. Rodgers reported him on her university’s website. After a call with UCLA’s Title IX office, she said she was told they were going to investigate.
But as time passed, Rodgers heard nothing.
“I literally never heard from them again ever. No follow up, no calls, no nothing,” Rodgers said. “...I did exactly what the website told me to do. I did what the person told me to do, and nothing happened.”
Now a rising senior, Rodgers is one of the many students trying to change the Title IX at California universities. She serves as the chief of policy for Generation Up, a student-led advocacy group focused on education reform.
Faculty have also stepped in to advocate for change. The Faculty Association of California Community Colleges was responsible for doing outreach on a report, where they interviewed faculty members about Title IX and what she they saw as barriers. These complaints resulted in recommendations for universities to follow.
Wendy Brill-Wynkoop, president of the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges, added they hope a report from SB 1166 will not only hold universities to task, but identify specific areas that need more resources.
She said universities, especially community colleges need consistent training, timelines and clear processes for students, faculty and staff.
This will particularly help community colleges, which as the most under resourced yet largest public higher education system in the state, she said. Currently, there are 116 community colleges in California with an enrollment of 2 million students.
“Ultimately, we want to make sure that we have campuses that are safe and inclusive for both our students, our faculty and for our staff,” Brill-Wynkoop said. “(We want them) to feel comfortable coming to work, and students to feel comfortable coming to campus.”
Where do the rest of the bills sit?
▪ AB 2407: Would require a system wide office of Civil Rights to oversee universities’ efforts in sexual violence and sexual harassment prevention. Additionally, this bill mandates that the California State University and University of California establish a Title IX office. In the Senate.
▪ AB 2987: Seeks to mandate each California State, University of California and California Community College to provide status updates on complaints of sex discrimination to complainants and respondents. At the Governor’s desk.
▪ AB 2492: Proposes that at least one person fulfill the role of a confidential student advocate at each California Community College, California State University and University of California. In the Senate.
▪ AB 2047: Would require an audit every three years for the California Community Colleges, University of California and California State University on Title IX investigations. In the Senate.
▪ AB 810: Seeking to require the California Community Colleges, University of California and California State University to determine if an job applicant for a athletic, academic, or administrative position has a history of sexual misconduct from their previous employer. In the Senate.
▪ AB 1905: Places perimeters on retreat rights, letters of recommendations and settlements for faculty and staff with a history of sexual harassment at a California State University, California Community College and University of California campus. In the Senate.
▪ AB 2048: Wants to establish a sexual harassment and Title IX working group to examine and provide recommendations to sexual harassment policies at California Community Colleges. In the Senate.
▪ AB 2326: Would make it mandatory for university leadership to present how they’re addressing and prevention discrimination to the California legislature. In the Senate.
▪ SB 1491: Seeks to establish a notification process for students at private higher education institutions that would inform their right to disclose discriminatory incidents if their college is exempted from Title IX regulations. These reports would go to the U.S. Department of Education. In the Assembly.
