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Case Western Reserve University will make campuswide changes to its management of sexual assault allegations as part of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, the university announced Tuesday.
The reforms follow a two-and-a-half-year investigation into how the small, private research institution in Ohio handled multiple complaints of sexual assault and harassment on campus, particularly within its Greek life organizations. The allegations came to light through an anonymous Instagram account started in 2020 called CWRU.Survivors.
Under the agreement, the university will provide funding for the women’s center, Greek Life Office and health and counseling services to support students affected by sex discrimination; implement new policies and protocols to reform its Greek life system; and deliver annual training for all students and employees, according to a press release from the Justice Department.
“This agreement would not have been possible without the many current and former student survivors who came forward and courageously shared their stories,” said Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for the department’s civil rights division, in the release. “We hope this agreement sends a message to the higher education community about the actions that must be taken to ensure that campuses are safe for all students.”
According to the university’s statement, several outside experts will further evaluate its compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which bans sex discrimination in federally funded education programs, going forward.
“We recognize that these actions do not alleviate the experiences that some members of our CWRU family have had while on campus,” the statement read. “To those impacted, we are committed to fostering trust by further enhancing our resources to provide a vibrant and safe campus experience for all.”
