News
- Northwestern expands social justice and anti-racism learning
October 15, 2021
Northwestern University has expanded social justice and anti-racism learning to 250 leaders across the University. The three-part series, called the Next 250, is underway with the first session already completed. - Spirit Squad update and completion of investigation
August 31, 2021
Senior Associate Vice President for Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance TiShaunda McPherson outlines the conclusions and recommendations from an independent investigation into concerns of discrimination and harassment raised by current and former members of the University’s Spirit Squad, and steps taken by the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Department of Athletics and Recreation and Department of Human Resources to address those concerns. - Practicing restorative justice at Northwestern
May 6, 2021
Northwestern leadership announced the creation of a cross-University program to develop organizational capability for restorative justice practices. - Recent Policy Changes
On May 6, 2020, the United States Department of Education issued its Final Rule of Title IX Sexual Harassment, effective August 14, 2020. These regulations required schools to make changes to their policy and procedures for certain types of sexual misconduct. In response, Northwestern has updated its policies accordingly.
What’s not changing:
- Northwestern will continue to prohibit all forms of discrimination and harassment, including sexual misconduct, previously covered under the Policy on Discrimination and Harassment and the Policy on Sexual Misconduct.
- The University will continue to respond to all reports of discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct.
What is changing:
- The Policy on Discrimination and Harassment and the Policy on Sexual Misconduct have been combined into one policy, the Policy on Institutional Equity.
- A subset of sexual misconduct, behavior defined as “Title IX Sexual Harassment,” will now be addressed by a new policy, the Interim Policy on Title IX Sexual Harassment. To fall under this policy, allegations must be:
- Title IX Sexual Harassment: Quid Pro Quo (this for that) sexual harassment by an employee; severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive unwelcome conduct on the basis of sex; sexual assault; dating violence; domestic violence; or stalking;
- That occurred in the University’s Education Program or Activity: locations, events, and circumstances in the United States in which Northwestern exercised substantial control over both the Respondent (the person accused of violating the policy) and the context in which the alleged violation occurred (including any building owned or controlled by a student organization officially recognized by northwestern; AND
- That occurred on or after August 14, 2020.
- Sexual misconduct that does not fall under the purview of the Interim Policy on Title IX Sexual Harassment may be addressed under the Policy on Institutional Equity.
- The process for addressing formal complaints of discrimination and harassment against a student will now be under the purview of the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance.
- Northwestern commits to preventing sexual harassment in higher education
April 10, 2019
Northwestern University is one of 28 founding colleges, universities and research institutions joining the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to establish an Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education. - Northwestern submits comments on proposed Title IX changes
February 04, 2019
Northwestern University submitted public comments last week to the U.S. Department of Education regarding proposed amendments to federal regulations implementing Title IX.