Office of General Counsel

Coordinating and managing legal issues affecting institutions within the CSCU System, the Board of Regents for Higher Education and the System Office

Title IX AT CSCU

Title IX is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on the sex (gender) of employees and students of educational institutions that receive federal financial assistance.  Title IX’s prohibition of sex discrimination includes the prohibition of sexual harassment and sexual violence.  Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature and can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal and nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature, including rape and sexual assault.

BOR/CSCU Statement of Title IX Policy

Title IX Grievance Procedures

CSCU is committed to preventing and addressing sexual harassment and sexual violence and does not tolerate sex discrimination of any kind. This prohibition is further explained in the Sexual Misconduct Reporting, Supportive Measures and Processes Policy.

Title IX Coordinators

Each of the 12 Community Colleges and COSC have a Deputy Title IX Coordinator and the 4 CT State Universities have a Title IX Coordinator. The Deputy Title IX Coordinators and the Title IX Coordinators have special training in helping students who are facing issues related to sexual harassment and assault. The Deputy Title IX and Title IX Coordinators are also responsible for monitoring compliance with Title IX and ensuring that reports of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual violence are investigated and addressed by the institution. Each campus has a webpage providing contact information for the Deputy Title IX or Title IX Coordinator as well as other personnel on campus who can provide assistance.

CSCU Campus Title IX Websites

Public Act No. 14-11, “An Act Concerning Sexual Assault, Stalking and Intimate Partner Violence on Campus.”

On July 1, 2014 the Connecticut General Assembly enacted Public Act No. 14-11, “An Act Concerning Sexual Assault, Stalking and Intimate Partner Violence on Campus.” The Act strengthened existing CT law regarding the response and prevention of sexual assault, stalking, and intimate partner violence.  The Act also requires institutions of higher education in CT to submit a detailed report to the Higher Education Committee on aspects of programming, response, and training.  The reports can be found on the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee website https://www.cga.ct.gov/hed/.

Campus Resource Teams (CRT)

Every CSCU institution has a Campus Resource Team (CRT).  The CRT’s include CSCU employees and off-campus community partners who work to prevent and address sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking on their respective campus. The CRT’s use a coordinated community approach to ensure the campus provides a trauma-informed response to victims and survivors.

Public Act No. 14-11 established the Campus Resource Teams as well as provided guidance on their role.  Each member of the CRT shall be educated in:

  • The CSCU sexual misconduct and intimate partner violence policy
  • Awareness and prevention of sexual assault, stalking and intimate partner violence, and communicating with and providing assistance to any student or employee of the University or College who is the victim of such assault, stalking or violence
  • The provisions of Title IX of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1972, and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act
  • Victim-centered response and the role of the community-based sexual assault victim advocates
  • The role and functions of each CRT member for the purpose of ensuring a coordinated response to reported incidences of sexual assault, stalking and intimate partner violence
  • Communicating sensitively and compassionately with the victims of such assault, stalking or violence, including, but not limited to, an awareness of responding to victims with diverse cultural backgrounds, and providing services to or assisting in locating services for such victims

SUNY SCI

CSCU is a member of the State University of New York’s Student Conduct Institute or SUNY SCI.

SUNY SCI provides in-depth live and digital training to student conduct officials, hearing officers, Title IX officials and other college personnel in due process, trauma-informed investigations and adjudications, questioning and weighing of evidence, and other crucial best practices in the investigation and conduct process that comply with relevant case law, Title IX guidance and the Clery Act.

SUNY Student Conduct Institute – Posted Trainings