The U.S. Department of Education released new regulations in May mandating how colleges and universities must investigate and adjudicate sexual misconduct cases under Title IX. 

In response to the new regulations, Miami formed a Title IX compliance working group to update Miami’s policy, process, and procedures. The group has actively engaged with students and employees over the past two months to hear concerns and answer questions.

While the policy will be formally updated by August 14, 2020, the working group recently shared an update on their progress to date with all Miami students.  

• The preponderance of the evidence standard will remain.
• The office of the dean of students is developing an informal resolution process grounded in the principles of restorative justice, as an additional option to the formal conduct process.  
• There will be increased transparency. Theoffice of the dean of students, the office of equity and equal opportunity, and the office of community standards will make staff and decision-maker training materials available to the public.
• Supportive services remain available to all parties. 
• The office of community standards is creating a parallel adjudication process for other incidents of sexual harassment and misconduct that fall outside the new narrowly defined Title IX jurisdiction to ensure due process and accountability standards remain intact. 

“We remain dedicated in our commitment to our students and community, and are responding to the rules with care and thoughtfulness," said Gabby Dralle, deputy Title IX coordinator and assistant dean of students.

The office of the dean of students also recently shared some of the new and ongoing steps they are taking to enhance Miami's response to sexual assault and interpersonal violence:

• Last fall, theoffice of the dean of students commissioned a sexual and interpersonal violence (SIV) response team, composed of employees, students, and campus partners, to continuously review Miami’s response to SIV and implement needed change. Through that review, they have taken steps to create a more effective and coordinated response to sexual misconduct.
• Provide increased and more frequent training, facilitated by external experts, for individuals who respond to incidents of sexual and interpersonal violence.
• In an effort to promote student autonomy, privacy, and well-being, the Miami University police department will no longer physically respond to the residence halls upon receiving an SIV report, unless requested by the student or there is an immediate safety concern. 
• Miami will launch a reimagined SIV website to provide improved access to information, easier navigation, and additional resources.
• With the office of equity and equal opportunity, theoffice of the dean of students is launching an employee toolkit to better support and train employees on appropriate and supportive responses to disclosures.
• The office is expanding their partnerships with local agencies and creating tailored student resource guides, focusing on meeting the unique needs of specific communities and groups.
• The office is engaging with local hospitals to secure the availability of SANE kits. 

These updates were shared on the dean of students Twitter account and the student life Instagram page. “This is the beginning of continuous improvement and action toward needed change,” according to the statement. Students are invited to share their questions, ideas, and concerns with theoffice of the dean of students at DeanofStudents@MiamiOH.edu.