Colleges accused of mishandling sexual assault investigations

Swarthmore and Occidental Colleges have been accused of mistreating victims of sexual assault and harassment, and activists say they are preparing similar accusations against other hiher-education institutions. The New York Times reports that complaints filed against Occidental with the federal Department of Education allege violations of Title IX, and the Clery Act, which requires full public reporting of campus crime. At Swarthmore, students have filed a Clery Act complaint and say they are preparing a Title IX action. In general, the complaints assert that the colleges are not tough enough on sexual harassment and sexual assault, suppress the reporting of cases and treat victims callously. In the past two years, similar claims have been made about Amherst, the University of North Carolina, Wesleyan, Yale and others