In Dec. 2024, the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) released its 2023 annual report, overviewing all received complaints and actions taken related to discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct, as well as requests for disability or religious related accommodations. The report reflected a general rise in reporting from 2022 and provided information on the outcome of cases.
Overview and trends of reporting data
The OIE consists of 15 full-time employees and aims to maintain a safe and inclusive academic environment. In 2023, OIE received 992 reports, a 28% increase from 2022, and the first overall increase in annual reports since 2019. Most (68%) reports came from “responsible employees,” such as faculty, coaches, resident advisors and other supervisory employees, who are required to inform OIE if they are aware of instances of sexual misconduct, protected-class discrimination/harassment or retaliation.
Specifically, the OIE noted an increase in reports of religion-based harassment and/or discrimination from 9 to 34 cases from 2022 to 2023. OIE noted that specifically that there was an increase in these complains following the conflict in Gaza and Israel following Oct. 7, 2023.
Additional reports included complaints of discrimination or harassment based on other categories, including race, disability, ethnicity, national origin, gender/sex, age and protected class identities. In 2023, students — including minor students enrolled in non-degree summer program — made up the majority (44%) of complainants in discrimination and harassment cases, surpassing staff members, who had been the leading complainants in 2022.
Sexual misconduct allegations constituted 38% of all reports, a 23% rise from the previous year. Among the 461 student-related complaints, 60% involved sexual misconduct, representing an increase of 49 reports compared to 2022.
Notably, nearly 34% of sexual misconduct cases were filed by students against other students, including 72 cases between minors enrolled in non-degree pre-college summer programs — a 9% increase from the prior year. 79% of discrimination and harassment complaints between students also involved minors in these programs.
The report noted for both sexual misconduct and discrimination and harassment complains between minor students in these programs, that “such cases rarely became OIE cases and were typically addressed under the program’s conduct code/guidelines.”
In an email to The News-Letter, a University spokesperson stated that the increase in reports by pre-college minor students was indicative of a climate supportive of reporting incidents and that very few of these reports warranted investigation.
“We seek to encourage a climate where people have confidence reporting concerns, and this is often reflected in a high number of reports,“ they wrote. “Following OIE assessment, only a small subset of reports involving pre-college summer students merit further investigation.”
The University also mentioned applicable regulations and available resources to pre-college students.
“Pre-college summer students receive information during their initial orientation on campus about how to report concerns and are made aware of the Code of Conduct at times throughout their programming,“ they wrote. “...Pre-college summer students are supervised by residence life staff members outside of class times, which include daytime activity periods, meals and evening programming.”
The OIE also received 406 reports for disability-related workplace accommodations, marking a 25% increase from the previous year. These accommodations included requests for reduced work hours, leave and remote/hybrid work, with 67% of requests being approved.
OIE also received 1160 religious accommodation requests, a 17% increase from the year prior; an overwhelming majority of the requests granted (96%) included exemptions to vaccine requirements.
Outcomes of reports
After receiving a complaint, the OIE contacts the complainant to discuss the concern and possible next steps. Of the reports submitted by "responsible employees" (faculty, coaches, resident advisors and supervisory staff), 15% of complainants declined to proceed with the process, while 8% did not respond to outreach.
In 2023, only 24% of all complaints met the criteria to become OIE cases, meaning there was sufficient information to address the allegations, which, if true, would violate OIE policies, and the complainant generally desired OIE action. The report noted that in some situations, OIE has the responsibility to open a case even without the complainant’s agreement. Table D in the reports illustrates the reasons that reports did not become cases, including most frequently (62%) that the matter was referred to another department. Reports that did not proceed to formal investigations may also be addressed through training or remedial measures.
Of the 24% of the total reports assessed or formally investigated by OIE, 51% involved allegations of protected-class discrimination or harassment, while 49% pertained to sexual misconduct.
OIE reported closing 242 cases of sexual misconduct and protected-class discrimination or harassment in 2023, with 85% being closed by assessment, 14% following formal investigation and 1% via informal resolution. Cases closed by assessment are closed due to not meeting the criteria for a formal OIE investigation or if an informal resolution is not appropriate.
A formal investigation is the only mechanism by which a violation of OIE policy can be established. The OIE noted that when conduct is found to be unacceptable but not in violation of OIE policies, the matter can be referred to other university departments or authorities. Of the 113 sexual misconduct cases closed in 2023, most were not resolved by investigation. 89 were resolved by assessment or remedial outcome and 7 were found to violate OIE policy following an investigation. For the 129 discrimination/harassment cases, close to 90% were resolved by assessment or remedial outcome.
OIE identified several factors responsible for delays in the case resolution process, including the complexity of cases, the need for translation services, concurrent law enforcement investigations and delayed participation by involved parties. The Office reported efforts taken to streamline the process and that the average time to close sexual misconduct cases was three weeks faster in 2023 than 2022.
To strengthen preventative measures, OIE implemented new policies to address harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct more proactively. The Office formalized efforts to prevent the “passing of harassers” between institutions by hiring an Equal Opportunity Process Specialist to conduct heightened pre-employment screenings for executive roles and faculty positions with tenure. In addition, all new students and staff are now required to complete Title IX and harassment prevention training and first-year students must complete bystander intervention training and a workshop on diversity, equity and inclusion prior to registering for second-year courses.
Graphics and data visualization by Rui do Rosario.
Samhi Boppana contributed reporting to this article.
