The number of sexual misconduct complaints are growing at colleges all around the United States. Colleges are paying millions of dollars to hire lawyers, investigators and other experts to work on cases.
In 2014, only 55 colleges and universities were placed under federal investigation to determine their approaches in dealing with sexual misconduct complaints. Now, over 200 colleges and universities are under the same type of observation.
Mic.com reports that schools are being checked whether they comply with Title IX, a 1972 federal law that prohibits sex discrimination at schools that receive public funding. Private colleges and universities also get public funding.
Although Title IX initially prevented sexual discrimination in the named schools, a federal policy in 2011 stated that the law is also applicable in the manner that universities settle complaints of sexual assault. Schools have to appoint new Title IX officers and legal consultants to ensure that they comply with the law and avoid conflict as much as possible.
However, the cost of hiring all the experts to counter sexual misconduct can be anywhere from $25,000 to $500,000, depending on the size and financial capacity of the schools. According to the New York Times, Title IX bureaucracies continue to grow, partly due to pressure from the federal government.
More policy directives are being introduced to battle sexual misconduct at school. Federal rules require colleges to have at least one part-time Title IX coordinator. The expansion also costs a lot of money, although these show the struggles among students, parents, educators and administrators while adjusting to the changing concepts and standards of sexual behavior.
According to college officials, it was difficult to indicate a specific price on their efforts to comply with the federal law, because the approach usually involved more than one department and also included volunteers and additional work.
Brett Sokolow, executive director of the Association of Title IX Administrators, said that the requirements of Title IX has resulted to the creation of a “cottage industry.” Title IX coordinators who execute the federal policy and monitor responses to complaints can be paid $50,000 to $150,000 every year.
Officials at the University of California, Berkeley said that spending on Title IX has grown by at least $2 million since 2013. Sokolow explained that colleges are spending more than ever, preventatively and responsively, for Title IX.
More workers, tutors, task forces and student counselors have been added, but students are reportedly still asking for a clear code of conduct. Some schools have created stringent rules, while others only set up a standard for unwelcome conduct.
More updates and details on schools’ compliance with Title IX are expected soon. For more information on the issue, check out the video below!
