Colleges would set survivor support and campus discipline rules

Colleges would designate sexual and interpersonal violence specialists whom students could contact, including anonymously. This applies to colleges that receive funds under the Higher Education Act. Specialists must meet experience requirements and complete required training within a reasonable time after appointment. They may help students arrange school accommodations, and a college may not require a police report to provide those accommodations. Specialists must protect confidentiality to the extent state law allows, and may share information as a liaison only with the student's written consent. The specialist requirements would take effect one year after the Education Secretary sets a standard for how many specialists a college needs, or three years after enactment, whichever comes first.

Colleges would report counts of campus rape and fondling incidents involving student respondents and how those cases moved through campus discipline. The report would cover incidents where the respondent is a student, including whether the incident was reported to a school official and whether the victim sought campus discipline. Reports would include case outcomes, sanctions for respondents found responsible when those details would not identify a student, and cases closed after a respondent withdrew. The Education Secretary would provide technical help to colleges. The first report would be due one year after enactment, with the same information included in each annual security report after that.

The Education Secretary would ensure the public can use a searchable, accessible website with campus safety and sexual harassment information. The site would include contact details for school support officials, required campus safety data, and information about complaints and investigations. Information about a complaint would appear only after the Department receives it, completes an initial review, and opens an investigation. The Department must protect personally identifying information.

Colleges would use one campus-wide process for student discipline cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, or stalking. The rules apply to colleges receiving funds under the Higher Education Act and to cases involving students who attend those colleges. Colleges could not use different procedures based on a student's status or traits. Colleges could not automatically notify police or require cooperation with police as a condition of taking part in campus discipline. Both the complainant and respondent would receive written notice of a decision to begin a campus proceeding, with information about the allegation, process, rights, and policies. These requirements would take effect one year after enactment. Colleges would have to give the written notice within 24 hours after deciding to proceed.