The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a list of 55 schools that it is investigating for possible violations of federal law governing how institutions should handle sexual violence and harassment complaints.
"We are making this list available in an effort to bring more transparency to our enforcement work and to foster better public awareness of civil rights," Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon said in a press release. "We hope this increased transparency will spur community dialogue about this important issue. I also want to make it clear that a college or university's appearance on this list and being the subject of a Title IX investigation in no way indicates at this stage that the college or university is violating or has violated the law."
The list is not a determination that the schools did in fact violate the law, but just an indication that they are under investigation. The agency indicates that it will update the list regularly and make it available to the public.
