Yale’s current policies and procedures are the result of thoughtful input and recommendations from a wide range of constituencies – students, faculty, staff and other community members, expert researchers and practitioners, and colleagues at other institutions. Over the past several years, the University’s efforts have also been guided significantly by the 2008 Report of the Committee on Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Education in Yale College; the 2009 Report of the Women Faculty Forum Council on Sexual Misconduct at Yale; the 2010 Report of the Provost’s Committee on Sexual Misconduct; the 2010 Report of the Yale College Dean’s Task Force on Sexual Misconduct Education and Prevention; the 2011 Report to the President and Fellows of Yale University of the Advisory Committee on Campus Climate (the “Marshall Committee” Report); and most recently by the Report of the 2012-13 Campus Sexual Climate Assessment. The work of these committees, most of which included student and alumni representation, laid the groundwork for our current policies, definitions, and the University-Wide Committee.
The University’s policies and procedures are evolving, and they are regularly reviewed to ensure that they fulfill the goal – and obligation – of providing prompt and effective avenues to resolve complaints of sexual misconduct. The leadership of the UWC and the Title IX Coordinators frequently contact the parties involved in a complaint to solicit feedback about the process. They also speak with deans, advisors, counselors, SHARE and others who routinely work with students and provide general feedback while maintaining student confidentiality. Additionally, the recent campus climate assessment conducted in the fall of 2012 (see 2013 Report) included questions designed to elicit students’ impressions of University complaint procedures. The University welcomes input from all members of the Yale community at titleix@yale.edu.