Yale Signs an Agreement Ending Federal Investigation of University’s Sexual Misconduct Policies

Yale University has signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education which ends a yearlong investigation into the university’s policies and procedures regarding sexual harassment and misconduct. The agreement calls on Yale to continue policies and procedures that have been put into place after an October 2010 incident on campus which prompted a March 2011 complaint that a “sexually hostile environment existed on campus” for women at Yale. Yale also agreed to report to the Office for Civil Rights on its efforts to comply with Title IX regulations.

Russlynn H. Ali, the assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Education, stated at a news conference announcing the agreement, “I applaud Yale for the changes it has made.”

In response to the agreement, Yale University President Richard Levin sent an email to the university community which read in part, “This investigation is concluded, but our work is by no means done. As I have stated before, sexual misconduct will not be tolerated. It is inimical to Yale’s values, and it has no place on our campus or in our culture.”